._. ... Before you guys read Chapter Two of Tasting Flesh, please do take a moment to read this semi-important Authors Note for the evening. Recently, I have been getting messages in my PM box and (somewhat unable to be viewed) Reviews on this story. The following examples will not have the names to protect the ones with the opinions/fixed to look unable to locate the note if anyone looks in the Reviews or hack into my PM box:

'what the hell is with this story?! this seems like a ripoff off of another authors story or something.'

'Your speech is too long and it bores me. Try to improve on -insert stuff here about grammar/story-plot/character-development/etc here- before you upload something.'

'I don't get this story plot at all; first Sasuke is with Sakura and now he's not?'

'I don't understand Sakura's character at all. She's like a spoiled brat or something.' and or 'Sasuke's character seems too happy. Are you taking it under the Road to Ninja Sasuke?'

'U r not as good as the author of Quietus.'

And blah, blah, blah...

I'm really surprised that people are somewhat pointing out of what looks like all of my 'mistakes'. Am I mad about that? No, I'm not. But I don't think some people are, I'm not sure how to exactly put it but, not giving me a chance. I know some people love to point out one's mistakes and errors, I get that; I get it from work and my classes tons of time, so I'm used to it. But it doesn't seem fair that people are judging my story so early in the beginning and trying to (help?) in their best way possible. As I said, I allow critics to Review to their heart's content if they really wanted to, but the way some of them are doing it is like flinging sand out of the sandbox after I just finished putting a new set in.

And I'm not mad about this at all, but I would really like it if people will lighten up a bit? I'm not saying 'Don't you freakin' dare say anything bad about my story!' kinda thing; but don't act like you're a professional author and you have the right to be a critic to one's attempt to write a story for fun. I know people who are young of being under the age of preteen, or even foreign in the language of English yet they try to make a story, and people still judge them from every angle possible.

If you don't like it, then don't read it. is a public website for everyone to try out in making stories and have fun.

Next in thought, the point of a couple people saying that I'm not as great as AngeLhearteD, I think this is somewhat important to point out: I am not AngeLhearteD. I am not in the same education of literature of her, nor do I have the best grammar and speech as her, or either that I am the best storyteller like her. Do I wish I was as talented as AngeLhearteD? A little. But I am truly proud in myself with all my work I put into it for the people who do want to read my stories, and I feel content with myself and what I am doing. I make mistakes and I learn from them; to grammar and choice of words and sentences, I know that I need work. That's why I want to make stories like these. I like to show my improvements and my failures and feel proud of it. I know most of my mistakes before I update a story, but I do not have the proper time to go word-for-word and make it picture perfect (and no, I am not looking for a beta reader for this fanfiction. I don't feel like I really need one, honestly). I know I've said that people can say whatever is bad, but what I really mean is like 'The story could use this and this' or 'I don't get the feel of the situation so I do not like it.' Grammar and descriptive parts don't matter to me.

If you don't like my grammar or speech, that is just fine and dandy with me. Just keep it to yourself and either continue to read, or move on to someone who has a better story in advanced grammar then I do. I know there are many better authors out there. As I say before the story starts 'You can leave my story in the dirt! I don't mind!'.

Lastly, with the negative responses to Sakura or other's personality in the characters. Sakura is suppose to be a self-concious teenager who thinks Ino is the beauty. Boys always seem to go more for Ino and ignore Sakura because, in her beliefs, she's too weird. So, as I'm sure other teenage girls feel, will point out to themselves of what's considered wrong or unattractive; it is a natural way for teenagers to behave, and I felt that Sakura's character in this story would fit perfectly in the plot of a girl who thinks all the wrong things while her best friend sees all the beauty inside and outside with her. Ino and Sakura's friendship will prove important in this story, incase some hasn't notice, so I hope this will answer both critics and reviewer's curiosity before it got too rough. As well for Sasuke's personality in the prologue...crap, Sasuke is suppose to be happy being with the one that is suppose to be his bride. If you don't like Sasuke's personality in this story, then look at another male character I'm using in here and like them instead. Is Sasuke going to be a softy with Sakura 24/7 in this story like when she was a baby? Honestly, that's for me to know and for you guys to find out.

So! To end this long and probably boring note, and I thank all who read this, I would just like the people who point out the bad stuff to lighten up a little ;3 We are not pros here in this world, but I never asked anyone to be. I want people to be themselves. You have the right to Review or not; Favorite or not; Follow or note... Hell, you don't have to do anything if you don't want to. I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO~. Other then that, I would like to thank everyone who has said both good and bad things about my story; you all have done a lot and I appreciate that.

REPLIES TO REVIEWS (that need my answers)-

Lady Rini- Thank you for not throwing the tomatos at me uwu... I need them to make some sauce later xD I hope you have been enjoying this story, it means a lot with your nice words.

harusaki-tsukiko- Huh, I've never noticed that in my writing owe' Thank you ;D Then I think it is good to know that people know who I am when I write; that might be helpful once in a while, no?

Naraku's Phoenix- I'm so glad you like the italics ;w; I wanted to put some kind of poem/whatever-it's-called in one of my stories, but they never seem to fit well with the other plots... But thank you lots and I hope to hear from you again! ;3

momoXvolturi- I just don't think my writing is all that good, but your kind comment makes me think otherwise (a little bit xD)! Thank you so much, and I'm glad you can understand Sakura's situation as of right now. I hope you have a nice day!

Princess Ren- Black Bird is actually what inspired me for this story; there are some similarities, but I'm trying very hard to not make it so relatable, you know? I hope you will enjoy the story!

Anonymous(Guest)- Sakura is actually meant to be a very innocent and naive character in this story, also putting lots of detail on what's going on in her head to help the readers get a good idea of what kind of person she is; also as well to prepare some of Sakura's reactions to future situations that might not fit to every-day-people. I'm trying hard to prepare the readers for a whole difficult area in the story that may confuse them, so being as detailed as I can is my best way to help the readers instead of them asking so many questions and lose their patience. If you do it otherwise, then I guess I can understand your point-of-view, but I would like to stick to my way of helping the readers. I thank you for the compliment and I hope you will enjoy the chapter ;3

whoami(Guest/Not-so-Guest?)- Oh, hello! ;D I'm sorry that you don't know your password and I hope you will find it someday and be able to put your stories on this site! You seem like a very creative person and I like that! I do plan on finishing this story -in...the future! lawl- and I find it good that I remind you of a good author! ;w; I'm probably not a good author, but I'm okay with that! xD I hope you will enjoy the chapter and have a great day.

Culpa- You are too sweet ;A; -gives you more writing and cupcake-

ImmaPiratte- SO MANY QUESTIONS INDEED QwQ Hopefully most will be answered in this chapter C; If not, then please let imagination help you ease your mind~ *w* Thank you for following my story and I hope you will enjoy it greatly for literal entertainment. If you don't Favorite it, that really doesn't bother me. Worthy of being favorited doesn't apply to my goal of being a author xD You can do whatever you want that pleases you. I'm not looking to get millions of Followers or Favoriters, but you do whatever you like! Yes, Sakura is suppose to be a self-concious teenager in this story -like a serious case, in my opinion- so I hope that answers your question C;

Please take note that cold weather is getting to Kitty's homeland fairly severe, and so I will need to get fuzzbally! Reviews, Favorites, Follows or just leaving this story and never coming back will help get me ready for the long winter I will be living in for long, long months! Please enjoy Chapter Two of Tasting Flesh, and please do take a look at AngeLhearteD's fanfiction profile and read her stories! Thanks to her wonderful talents of a writer, she is the one who inspired me to write this story.

=xxx=

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Each step she takes is somewhere she doesn't know.

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Each moment he waits to go somewhere he calls home.

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The hearts pounding in their chests as they await of what is coming to them, hopefully good.

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Dear reader, can you tape the ripped pages back into the spine?

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Or shall the tears of ink stain your hands of the unfortunate soul?

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Tasting Flesh

Chapter Two

He was raised with patience. His father taught him that when he was a very young age, centuries ago, maybe before sunlight touched the earth of the human world. We may never know. But patience is something he must have learned and mastered before his teenager-age of his time; taking small roles as a royal prince in his kingdom, he would take his time with everything that needed his small attention and soon walk off to go into his own thoughts and imagination. But, as he sits here now, infront of the wooden frame that held the invisible door that would lead him to, he wasn't having the best of time watching the little misty-light that would spark once in a great while. His hunger for a bigger light itched in his throat as he tried to keep his demonic growl inaudible. His fingers were starting to dig into the black soil of his world, the dirt crumble under his fierce hold.

A form plopped beside him as bright blue eyes stood in his way between him and the door. "Ne, ne, Teme! Don't get your thong in a bunch, okay? The door will open soon enough and then you can run through and all that romantic crap!" His friend, Uzumaki Naruto, always offered some kind of comfort, but it will never ease Sasuke when he is like this.

"Leave me alone," was his only reply to the blond.

Naruto's eye twitched as he fell back into the ground, looking at the only opening in the clouds that started circling more slowly, growing a little bit bigger then he checked last time -which he figured was four hours ago- letting his imagination try to take place. He knew his best friend was excited for the door to open to the Human World, that he will be able to see his future bride, but this stoic attitude was worse then usual. 'Even more of a bastard then when he came home all those years ago. What to do, what to do!'

"Hey, Teme with the chicken-ass hair," Naruto started out friendly to Sasuke's stiff form. "Tell me a story right now."

Sasuke's red eyes glanced at him, raising a questioning brow that erked the blond man to start talking in a explanation. The blond grinned in triumph before continuing. "I want you to tell me what it was like when you first met this poor girl, Teme! She's a human after all, and Itachi-niichan said you knew her since she was born; so spill it! Gimme something to tease you with during the Best Man Speech, Dattebayo!"

"Who said you're the Best Man?"

Now that broke Naruto's heart. "Sasuke-teme, can't you amuse me while I'm forced to sit here with you and phorny man over there!" Phorny was a made-up word Naruto came with for a nickname for Kakashi, Sasuke's most trusted servant of the royal family, mixing the two words of 'horny' and 'porn' for the fact that the said grey haired man always seems to be reading such dirty books. Although Kakashi said he was all in it for the good plot lines, Naruto thought otherwise. "It would be nice for you to relive some memories, right? Come ooon! I bet your girl was cute when she was a baby, ne?"

That was a stupid question to Sasuke's ears. Of course Sakura was an adorable baby; who in the right mind would question that? "It was about eighteen years ago when she was born, Dobe... I met her parents when the mother was pregnant with her."

The flashes of memories seem to replay softly, like a movie of his own past playing in his head as he started to remember the first time he actually got to see his destined that the gods themselves gave to her way before she was conceived...

"She was the most beautiful thing I ever saw..." Sasuke's eyes dimmed out of his crimson color, the three commas fading into his normal black eyes as his lids soften. His sculpted lips parted gently as his clenched fists instantly loosened. He looked over to his sitting companion, who was obviously waiting for more. He had a toothy smile on his face and his eyes were squinted into slits... Annoying.

"Keep making that face and I'll rip your throat out," Sasuke warned.

=xxx=

Pakkun was waiting ontop of the stairs for Sakura, waiting patiently as he sat on his rear with his curly tail wagging. Only the shadow of the pug's anatomy was visible to Sakura as a small shadow that stretched all the way to the bottom steps, where Sakura was standing still. Her pale features was distinct in the dark hallway behind the offering hole that would take coins by the people who would throw them in, like a wishing well, and the coins would be collected after a month and donated to hospitals and shelters in the city. It was believed that it would take a month for a prayer to come true; and most of the time, it does. The prayer floor, also known as the first floor, is usually bright and happy...

But all Sakura could see in the holy room was darkness and eerie silence.

"Pakkun," Sakura whispered, swallowing quickly before continuing. She felt like she had to be quiet. "Come on, boy. I want to play outside." It's not that she was afraidof the darkness, no the dark never scared her, but the feeling of something watching her from the top of the stairs -besides Pakkun- and just waiting for her to come up. She was uncomfortable, but she couldn't move away. "You need the fresh air, don't you? Come on, Pakkun!"

Pakkun started barking again, more longer and whiny as his lower jaw wobbled in his usual begging move. He kept barking until Sakura's nerves were on edge and she took one single step onto the stairs. This action seemed to please Pakkun greatly as the dog sprang to his feet and barked a bit louder, a gruffy sound coming from his plugged nose as he kept calling to Sakura's still form to follow. Very slowly, Sakura started to move up the stairs in silent steps; going one at a time and putting her closer to the heavy cloud of unseen face watching her.

Pakkun's chubby form wobbled away from Sakura's long legs, her white dress receiving a big gust of wind through her whole body, her long pink hair pushed back of her shoulders as she inhaled the odd scent of something sweet and spicy all at once. The smell of a burned tree and a sweet tang of orange burned her nostrils as her thick lashes fluttered closed for a moment. Nausea swept behind her lids but she kept herself straight as see took her first steps on the second floor, hearing soft noises and a heavy warmth in the wind.

"Pakkun, come here..." Sakura whispered somewhat tiredly, following the small dog who was making his usual scruffy noise through his giant nose whenever he overworked his short legs. Her vision seemed to become hazy as she past the living room door, being slid closed and taking in the sunlight through the open window, Sakura didn't mistake the noise of a childish giggle echo from the papery cover.

'Do it again!' the hazy voice of a little girl perked Sakura's ears, having her pretty head turn to see a silouette of two figures, one short and one tall, moving with energy on the otherside.

Sakura blinked. "H-hey... Whos' there!" Sakura's neck bristled with frustration. The rule of being on the higher level of the temple was not permitted without the priestess' permission or request. Her cheeks boiled to a deep blush as she hastly slid the shouji door open, ready to yell...

And nothing was there.

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed, leaning her head in to examine the room just to make sure no one was there. When there was no evidence of any being leaving imprints on the foamy rug or the soft cushions of the couch, Sakura swallowed and closed the door back shut. She breathed gently and pressed her forehead on the wooden frame and closed her eyes for a moment to get her head together. Maybe she was falling ill and her head was playing tricks on her?

Another burst of a childish laughter hit the back of Sakura's form, causing her to stiffen and spin around to the dark hallway that would lead to the kitchen or the stairway to the third floor. There sat Pakkun on the wooden flooring, looking at Sakura with a piercing look that matched with his still form. If Sakura didn't know any better, she would've guessed that Chiyo bought a statue that looked exactly like the little guard dog of the Haruno Shrine.

The dog wasn't barking, let alone showing any sign of energizing excitement like he was before. He was watching Sakura's every move as her body slowly turned to face his way, and even slower steps down the hallway before getting up and lead her into the dark shadows of the the second setting of stairsl the voices coming back from behind her and seemed to move with the air and past Sakura's way and rolled up the stairs.

'Wait for me!' the girl's voice giggled. Sakura's head was starting to pound a thick drum as her heartbeat filled her ears. 'One more time... Please? I have been a very...good girl...' The sound of the name the girl was trying to squeal out faded out in a misty cry as Sakura's chin tilted upward to the stairs. Pakkun was already halfway up the set and peering over his shoulder to make sure that Sakura was still following.

Her emerald eyes seemed to be glazed over to a darker shade, yet a sparkle still lingered in her beautiful orbs; her expression was calm, but her brows furrowed in a worrysome state of the abnormal noises and feelings she was getting in the solitude of the holy temple.

'As expected...' Pakkun's wrinkled face scrunched when Sakura's mouth was unconsciously moved to the sound of the voice that was lingering in the air above both of them. The voice of the past -Sakura's own voice- was audible in the giggles as Pakkun let them through Sakura's closed mind. 'The barrier won't move...but she can hear them for sure. So the spell hasn't fully consumed Sakura's memories, after all.'

Pakkun's good conscience reminded him of what Chiyo would do to him if she ever found out about the dog's plan to lead Sakura. He pushed that sweet angel of himself aside and allowed Sakura to walk silently past him; finding amusement that the fogged mind of the human teenager was assisting her instead, leaving Pakkun to watch carefully as Sakura stood in the lonely hallway of the living quarters.

Pakkun's little paw raised above his head as he summoned another known quote from the young child of Sakura's soul. His talent, as everyone close to him knew, was able to create illusions and hallucinations in the weak minded of the human brain. With what he knew from the almost-eighteen girl, from watching her grow up, that she was a very hyper girl with the itch for adventure and joy with her close companion.

'I want to go there!' Pakkun watched as the entranced Sakura mouthed the words gently, whimpering in a great tune as her steps went down the hallway to the designated area that Pakkun set: Chiyo's bedroom.

The air of Pakkun's spell swirled around, little specs of dust and glitter brushed Sakura's cheek in a gentle kiss as her eyesight stayed focused at the only nobbed-door in the whole temple for a room. Every soft exhale Sakura breathed was a sweet word of a memory she didn't know she had.

'I want to go see... Let me see, please.'

'Take me there...'

'Let me see it, okay? I won't do anything bad...'

Watching Chiyo's door with careful eyes, Sakura's syrupy thoughts didn't matter to her attention anymore as her very pale hand reached out and touched the doornob. Her pupils expanded as her eyes shut tightly closed as a sudden heat that hit her abdomen, shooting up her spine until it came into contact of her neck. She coughed lightly and her head fell back as she fell into a deep sleep of something that just made her feel like it wasn't a dream.

The softness of her futon bedding is what Sakura thought of first. Her hands slowly moved up her sides and graced on the silky cotton sheets of her cozy mattress and picked at her foamy pillow; her whole body feels so much smaller somehow, like she had shrunked into her little height of being a little kid once more. She usually felt her long pink hair in the morning before opening her eyes, but she felt none of her pink locks. Funny, she never went to bed with her hair up.

She must've been dreaming of when she was little.

Sakura whimpered lightly, her voice a pitch or two higher then usual; her small hands rubbed her face furiously as she noticed the familiar of pinkness behind her closed eyes. She didn't want to get up so early in the morning, no sir, she did not want to get up. She threw her hands above her head and stretched unwantingly.

"Hey," a soft, masculine voice perked her little ears. For some reason, out of her own memories, she knew the voice well. The name of who it belonged to, she had no idea. It was too young to have been her fathers, nor was it close to Sasori's deep throaty voice; the owner, however, Sakura just knew very well. She liked the voice.

Sakura made another childish noise of a whimper before rolling away from the sweet voice, pulling her thick quilt over her shoulders and wrapped herself like a caterpillar before curling into a ball. She wasn't going to listen. She was still tired and she didn't want to get up yet, so she must resist the temptation of the sudden warmth caressing her cheek. His knuckles were calloused, but they were soft against the swell of her rosy face; not pressuring the poor little girl to do something she didn't want to. Sure, she may be spoiled by this person, but she was always a good girl.

"Sakura..." his thumb lightly pulled her short hair behind her ear, his hot breath tickled lightly and made her giggle cheekly before burying her face into her pillow. She heard him sigh quietly before rubbing her covered arm of the blanket. "If you don't want to get up, Sakura, then what do you want to do?"

"Cuddle!" Sakura exclaimed with her eyes still closed, her little hand shot out from under the blanket and grasped the long fingers of his hand. She pulled his arm around her form and cuddled her back into his broad chest, sighing with content before competely relaxing her body back into slumbering mode. She pressed her face into his warm hand, kissing his knuckles lightly in a childish peck and kept her face pressed against his soothing palm.

She knew his instinct would have him press closer to her smaller body, giving her all the comforting warmth of his body. She was being cradled gently in his arms, the other slipping under her and allowed to be lifted into a sweet hug that made her heart flip a beat. She may have been a younger child, but she knew that this is what princesses would feel when their princes would come and save them. She still read those fairytale stories to this day and enjoys them, but being able to feel his strong heartbeat against her ear.

Sakura smiled with a bright glow to her complexion as she felt something soft and slightly moist press against her hairline, his hand brushing her hair away from her face as he peppered the smooth skin of her head with kisses. She mewled cutely as her eyes started to crack open, wincing to the bright light of the sunlight hitting her sensitive eyes.

"The sun is too bright..!" Sakura mumbled with a pout on her doll-like lips, her hands clung to the blanket and his clothes -since his arm was around her- and burrowed deeper into her little cocoon. Her lashes allowed her to see little around her bedroom; bookshelves and little sewing and knitting stuff she was learning from her grandmother, and the soley black shadow of him, so close and radiating warm heat on her futon bedding. He was so much better then a teddy bear!

"Look at me, Sakura..." His soft command was smooth on his tongue, her body listening to his voice as she rolled to the other side, her eyes meeting darkness. He always wore the color black. She didn't mind it though, he always hid better in Hide-and-Seek in the shadows, so wearing matching colors proved helpful for her adventurous game outside or in the pale hand graced down her head, fingers gently hooked her chin and slowly tilted her head up to meet his eyes-

Sakura's eyes snapped open. Her throat tightened ina sob-like noise as she met Pakkun's face on the floor. The chillyness of the wooden flooring stung Sakura's cheek, all rememberance of the voices of a child and warmth touching her once in a while was all gone in existence; her head was ringing with soreness of the impact she recieved from her fall, possibly bruising on her knees and chin a little bit.

The pink haired teenager groaned with a dry throat as she pushed herself up onto her rear, leaning against the wall of the hallway as she looked around the area she was in. Still quiet and dull, just as she woke up this morning.

"W-what..." Sakura swallowed, trying to moisten her mouth. She felt so dizzy. "What happened..? Why am I upstairs, ne?" She rubbed her eyes sorefully as Pakkun trot over gently and pressed his wet nose onto her bare skin of her knee, sniffing around the jointed limb.

'No scent of the spell... She must've pushed it out of her thoughts when she tried opening the door,' Pakkun thought with a grunt as he eyes the door that held Chiyo's sleeping quarters on the other side. When the spellbound Sakura tried to turn the knob, in the dog's hopes of opening it, was locked thight by the elderly-looking woman. The resistence given to Pakkun's spell caused Sakura to get a seizure and fall out of the spell; any memory of following the dog forgotten. 'Damn woman just had to lock the door, huh?'

Pakkun's rant was cut short when Sakura's shaking hand rubbed his floppy ear, a soothing pace that made the dog to instantly purr under the scratched he loved way too much. His long tongue draped out and waggled when he heard Sakura giggle lightly. "You're such a good dog, Pakkun. Good boy!"

Sure, Pakkun wasn't an average dog that guarded the Haruno Temple. He was rather a special kind of canine that you wouldn't find everyday; a magical breed of pug that would help the priests' and monks' centuries prior to today's date and society. Pakkun is actually a very, very, very old dog that originated from the world that held the Demon God's next heir in a field and a doorframe. He was a wise dog, likes long walks during the day and occasionally chase a squirrel up a tree for fun. But, never be too carefree with it, Pakkun does not like being treated like a human's pet.

But, Jesus, Sakura had the touch of the heavens on his ears!

Sakura smiled sweetly to the old dog. She liked her little companion and how much he acts like a pillow, limping over to his side and expose his belly to be scratched by her. She did it for a moment, rubbing her fingers on his fur before shakingly getting up to her feet.

Pakkun was worried now, flipping to his feet quickly and watching every move Sakura did. Watching her have a seizure scared Pakkun, no doubt; he cared for Sakura... In a way he didn't know how, but he didn't want anything more to get worse then it already was. He thought the spell he was giving Sakura was slipping through the cracks of her head, giving the chance to fix things before hell breaks loose.

Sakura's grip on the wall was tight, unable to trust herself thoroughly with her numbing nerves and wobbling legs was just uncomfortable for her own mind to judge; leaving her trust with her tired arms and the walls of the hallway to get to her bedroom, which was three doors down.

She entered her bedroom with little troubles, her energy totally drained by the time she reached her futon bed. The little red clock on the floor next to the bed read that it was barely ten at noon, only four more hours until Ino would get out of school and come over to the shrine for a snack and homework tutoring by her dearest friend. She can take a little nap before Sasori gets home, maybe take a relaxing bath in the bath house outback of the shrine where the occupants of the holy ground has their own personal spa and the little cabin-like houses for anyone who wishes to spend a rest there. The Haruno Shrine was always prepared to pamper and please all who are sweet at heart, as it was chosen by Kizashi's family generations before.

Clawing under her covers, Sakura nuzzled her doll-like face into her foamy pillow and sighed softly before shutting down her whole body. Landing on the cushioning material of her bedding and the skirt of her dress flowed across the mattress, minding the watching eye of Pakkun by Sakura's head. Sakura looked at the old dog, offering a little small smile before resting her eyes to ease the headache that was growing a little bit worse by the moment.

Pakkun waited until the even breathing of Sakura's lungs told him she was sleeping, he got up from his sitting position and wobbled outside the bedroom; his intensions strong as he hurried down to Chiyo's bedroom door. The only wooden door that doesn't slide, Chiyo usually didn't lock the door since Pakkun or Sasori would need something important from the confines of her room. Pakkun was very angered within his own thoughts as he stared at the shiny doornob that knocked Sakura out of her hypno-spell that he took so long to prepare.

'To think Chiyo had an issue with trust,' Pakkun's brow twitched rapidly as he raised his paw. A small spark emerged from one of his claws, dust flying up to the small piece of metal. The doornob shuddered before twisting on it's own, a sudden halt in the left and coughed glittering dust from it's keyhole before growling down at Pakkun. The pug sighed in defeat and slouched his ears.

'Might as well tell Sasori.'

Walking past Sakura's open bedroom door, the canine made sure that the pink haired girl look comfortable in her own bed before going down the flights of stairs to the prayer's room; coming into sight of the redheaded male arriving through the enterance with a bag of groceries filled to the top and barely toppling out. Pakkun gave him a moment to slide the door close and face the little magical dog before offering a polite nod.

"Pakkun, do you think Sakura would like some homemade ramen for tomorrow?" Sasori asked as he pulled out a list written on a long sheet of paper, along with a girl's phonenumber with a kiss mark on the edge. "This chick at the market gave me the idea with this nice recipe. I remembered how Sakura loved ramen as a little kid." He started walking past Pakkun's sitting form before noticing the silence he was getting. Looking down, Sasori instantly noticed that the old dog was giving the look of anger mixed with sadness. "What's up, Pakkun?"

With the guilt being swallowed down his throat, Pakkun looked down in shame. "I was trying to take down the barrier, but Chiyo locked her bedroom door before any real progress was made."

Sasori's brown eyes narrowed instantly. "What?"

"The barrier is thinning, Sasori," Pakkun input with his serious voice. "I wanted to see how much Sakura could remember for the time being before...he gets here."

"And what kind of results did you get?"

"Nothing. It all went off when she tried opening the door," Pakkun whimpered in his canine misery, ear dropped down and buried his stuffy face into his tiny paws. "I'm sorry, Sasori. I just can't handle watching Sakura being like this anymore."

Sasori kept all of his anger inside of himself. He didn't want to lash out when Sakura was sleeping (yes, he could sense the innocent girl sleeping on the third floor) keeping all his loud voices of anger and such inside. He knew Chiyo would have a fit if she found out about Pakkun's plan on opening the barriers inside Sakura's fragile mind; this was a bad sort for the dog's immortal reputation. He knew telling Chiyo would be the right thing, get Sakura inspected for any damages, and go on with the rest of Chiyo's 'Master Plan'...

"I won't tell her," Pakkun's ears perked instantly, "if you make all of Sakura's birthday meals for tomorrow."

"...Deal."

=xxx=

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They say that the last 24 hours of one's life is important.

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But to what extent would the limit be? Is there even one?

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As she sleeps the spell off, her life inches closer...

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To what awaits on her eighteenth birthday.

=xxx=

AUTHOR'S ENDING NOTE- Yes yes, I know it's a short chapter D: But I have been very busy lately due to wintery weather and my classes going on break soon (did I mention I have a nasty cold? It hurts like hell.) but I do promise that next chapter will be more pleasant and longer to your satisfaction! ;3 I hope everyone is having a wonderful winter season and I will update as soon as I can.

Patience is GOLD~

...

and so are chocolate coins ewe

Remember to Review, Follow, Favorite or do whatever you want that pleases your day! Even cutting off this story from your eyes and never coming back is all good to me. Just have a nice day, alright?