Pain splintered through her body. She felt the unbearable urge to hurl but for some reason couldn't bring herself to move. Honestly, she couldn't even move her hand. All she could feel was the strange warmth spreading over her arm. Over her whole body, actually.
Kitsune groaned. What happened?
"Our young saviour is recovering well..."
Her eyes snapped open. She was met with an endless field of darkness, just as before. Blinking her eyes, Kitsune was sure her eyes were open but couldn't see past the abyss. Today was nothing but darkness and she was getting fed up with it. And who had just spoken to her?
Sitting up slowly, Kitsune looked around for the sound of the voice again.
"We have waited for your arrival for years... The era of darkness will be ended by your power. And by your power alone..."
"Who's there?" Kitsune called, trying to locate the voice. It came from all directions at once, making it difficult to pinpoint.
Just as she was about to give up on finding the feminine voice, a bright light before her awoke. The alarming but harmonic echo of humming reached her ears, enveloping her in a strange aura of peace.
She had never felt this calm before in her life and frankly, it alarmed her. The knot of anxiety she had been feeling upon coming to this world had vanished into thin air and was replaced with the unsuspected bout of longing. Like she belonged here.
Tilting her head up, Kitsune stared into the light before her. A blurry image manifested itself within the glare but didn't step out to reveal its appearance. The silhouette continuously changed form, blurring between the line of male and female, child and adult. Like the static of a broken television, it never stayed long before fading into another appearance.
"W-Who are you?" Kitsune shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. She suddenly felt cold, and she wasn't even sure where the cold was coming from.
"A friend. An enemy. It all depends on how you approach what I'm about to tell you..." The voice echoed, their hands extending as if an attempt to hug her.
Kitsune looked up at the figure, her eyes widening. This person's voice was captivating, yet strangely dangerous. Each word that left their lips was a strand of information that could be taken with the utmost importance or deepest disregard.
Kitsune found herself wanting to understand more about this person.
"Heed my words... And you will be saved..." the static echoed, its silhouette staggering in the light. "Heed these word... Or perish as a heretic."
"I don't understand. Can't someone just explain to me what the hell is up with this place? Where am I now? What's going on? Where's my brother?"
"It is understandable that you're confused. This world is a tornado of confusion, things you only heard briefly on Earth as stories of fiction. But... you are here and that means, your destiny has been decided and carved into the stone."
Kitsune stood up, doing so slowly. She was confused, that much was certain, but maybe a little bit of information could clear up the cloud of fog that had misted over her senses.
It was true. This world was new to her and from the moment her foot stepped over the threshold, she knew that her life would forever be changed. It all started with that wand. That wand in that basement. An intense tug of power was released the moment her fingers grazed its delicate wood. At that moment, Kitsune remembered everything.
Jiraiya and Uta rushing into the room after her incident with the casing, Naruto reaching for the hypnotic wands, him tossing her the rather ancient one, then everything went black. She did recall the inhuman presence that lingered over her once she collapsed, as well as the overwhelming warmth that swept over her fragile form. Then that voice; that feminine voice.
Staring at the mysterious figure, Kitsune contemplated the idea of that voice possibly belonging to this unknown.
The chances were high. And she knew it as well as anyone.
"Who are you?" Kitsune asked, more confidently than she had before. Her hands balled up into fists, her hopes high that it would come across as determination rather than fear.
The figure wavered, their body slipping into the light. Kitsune felt her pulse quicken but as soon as the silhouette returned, it slowed down cautiously, as if afraid the figure would disappear again.
"I might speak for a hundred years and still you would not know of us. Your mind would remain a blank canvas, eager to be spilled with even the faintest brush of poisonous paint. The fact you are here, proves that deep down you know of your true fate."
"Listen lady, enough with the mystic monk mumbo jumbo! From the moment I stepped into this place I've been told what I can and can't do! I've been forced to wear a ridiculous cloak, follow around my insane relative in a village I don't know, and now I'm pretty sure I'm passed out and having hallucinations because of a stupid wand!" Kitsune exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air.
The static increased and the figure's formed remained steadily of that of a teenage girl. But the form quickly dissipated into the outline of young child and continued morphing.
"That wand belonged to me... The likes of your kind have not been able to lay a finger on it for centuries. It seemed an almost forlorn hope that someday our true savior would emerge and cleanse the world of its wretched scourge."
Raising an eyebrow, Kitsune urged the unknown to continue, to clarify all her questions.
"Centuries ago, my brothers and I were birthed from the founder of all sorcerers into a world that was plagued by an era of distrust - venomous intentions. An everlasting peace seemed hopeless. A vague fantasy. Despite our attempts, we only succeeded in driving the world into a great divide, a monstrous battle for power. This divide caused many innocents to be slayed and misinterpretations of what was believed to be right and wrong. At the time, our decision seemed pointless..."
"What decision?"
The figure turned, their back facing her. Walking off slowly, Kitsune scuttled after her and tripped over the nothingness that covered her path.
An orange burst of light bloomed across from Kitsune, morphing into a large cloud. Within its depths, images came to life as people scurried around in an environment shockingly similar to the one she was introduced to moments ago. The citizens however, were dressed in the traditional kimonos that Kitsune grew to think of as "medieval attire". Buildings were made of reinforced wood and not the concrete she had seen before. It resembled a fairy tale village, only less... Advanced.
Three figures turned up in the image, walking alongside each other. Two boys and one girl. The girl was obviously the youngest. She was shorter than the two and clung to their arms with uncontrolled happiness. Both boys grinned happily at her, raising their arms so she could dangle from the ground.
"My brothers and I lived a joyous and carefree live, free of the worries that disrupt this world's peace. We always knew we were different. The stares and hushed whispers of the villagers spoke louder than any words. However, it didn't divert our beliefs. That was... Until my eleventh birthday," the scene disappeared into a cloud of smoke and to the left of Kitsune, another burst of colour awoke, glowing an alarming shade of blue. The same girl, now standing in front of a crowd of older men, was shown. If this girl was supposed to be eleven, Kitsune found that hard to believe. There was no real colour and everything was shown in shades of blue but Kitsune could tell this girl had light hair and fair skin. Her long hair was swept back into a complicated braid, strewn with various flowers. Kitsune watched with envy as the girl's hair hung near her ankles, a few mislead strands scraping the wooden floors.
The girl stared wide-eyed at the elders, her shoulders visibly shaking.
"I was a naïve girl living in a world of my own imagination. The position of Oracle was passed down onto me and I had no right to refuse. Those demeaning words that left the elders' lips forever changed me and I knew I could never go back to the way I was..." the figure's head tilted down and no words left their lips for some time. "As Oracle, my former self twined with its new counterpart and instead of becoming one whole, both halves perished away. Without knowing, the elders had trapped me in a solitude that was set to unravel the mistakes of the past. My brothers... their attempts at reviving my former self were all for nought. They would eventually be drawn into a battle of their own. One I predicated and could have prevented-"
"But you were paralyzed by the fact you were changed, right?" Kitsune finished her sentence, watching the scene before her. The small girl seemed to be pleading with the elders, furious tears streaking her face. The elders shook their heads, and one by one, they vanished from the scene, leaving the girl all by herself.
The unknown nodded.
"Years passed, and still I understood my role in this world with little to no understanding. I had the ability to foretell events before they occurred, and prevent them if I saw fit. The thought was daunting if not strangling. As a young adolescent, it seemed a rash thing to do to one who understood so little. And with no maternal guidance, I was left confused and broken."
"What about your brothers? Surely they could have eased the burden and helped you somehow?"
"My brothers were situated with a different kind of burden, one that exceeded mine." the figure continued walking and just like the previous one, the scene dissipated into the abyss. Kitsune followed and tried to process a little bit of the information that was being funneled into her mind. She still couldn't comprehend why she was being told of this but felt it better if she listened intently in case she was strung along somewhere in the middle of the story.
Awaiting the cloud of smoke, Kitsune stumbled back as a flood of flames erupted from beneath her. Its hungry tendrils curled around each other, creating the impressions of human figures.
Cautiously, Kitsune stared into the flames.
The same boys, now older, stood before an older man. The one on the left had long hair cut short on the top with two locks wrapped in bandages on either side of his face. His eyebrows were cut short - a sign of nobility if Kitsune remembered correctly.
To the right, was the second brother. He had short, spiky hair with two locks wrapped in bandages in a similar manner to his brother. Unlike his brother, he had normal length eyebrows.
Both brothers wore kimonos and both were rather tall, unlike their sister.
Kitsune's attention shot to the man in front of them. Something about him was odd, and almost frightening. He had spiky, shoulder-length hair with a braided lock hanging in front of his left ear as well as a goatee sported on his chin that reached all the way to his waist. Kitsune stared at the horn-like protrusions on either side of his head as well as at the intricate marking in the centre of his forehead.
What the hell is that guy? Kitsune thought, squinting her eyes to get a better look. The flames flicked back, almost daring her to try and step closer.
Taking that as a warning, she took a step back.
"My father had grown old, and needed a successor to continue on our family line. With my position already decided, I was merely an auditor in this escapade. I had no say in what my brothers were restricted to doing; I hardly had a say in whether I believed it was right. All I could do was watch with baited breath as they were sent to their inevitable divide," the unknown said.
Although Kitsune knew what this "unknown" looked like, the figure still morphed between the lines of different genders. She clearly didn't want her identity to be known, as ludicrous as it seemed.
"What happened to them?"
"My father sent my brothers on separate missions of restorations on damaged lands. A simple task to determine who would be his successor. Both my brothers set out, determined to outdo the other. I was envious of the freedom they were given. I had been chained to my village and looked down upon by many who I believed to be my friends. My eldest brother returned first. There was something different about him when I laid eyes on him. Something... dark. Two years passed before my other brother returned and I could tell that my eldest brother had grown impatient. Something had changed in him; something I had seen years before..."
"Let me guess; something you could've stopped but didn't?"
"Unfortunately," the figure replied.
The flames flickered into another scene. The eldest brother stood before the youngest. Time had certainly changed both of them. There were dark markings around the eldest's eyes and his eyes held the strangest of patterns within them. The second brother appeared exactly the same, his jaw more defined than it had been before. Bandages were wrapped around his forehead, pushing clumps of hair back.
"There was a winner and a loser, wasn't there?"
"Yes... On his deathbed, my father did not choose my eldest brother but instead my other brother. He fought it, my brother had always been compassionate to our eldest sibling and believed that our father's decision was not properly thought through. However, my father did not reconsider. At that moment, something warned me of what was to come. My suspicions only increased when my eldest brother became enraged and jealous," the figure watched the scene unfold. The two brothers argued, mostly from the eldest's side. The younger of the two seemed to be pleading for him to understand. "It had been the work of the 'Dark Messenger'. He corrupted my brother's mind, twisted it with unholy words. A darkness swept over my brother, one that could not be cured by the light."
The flames wavered before flushing out as if water had been poured over them. Kitsune followed the figure again. As they walked, the figure continued to explain what had happened centuries ago.
The eldest brother was manipulated by the one known as the "Dark Messenger" and attacked the village. He chose to fight the youngest and assume the position of successor while also seeking revenge on their father and brother for denying him his birthright. The youngest fought valiantly, and received power from the villagers which assisted him in defeating his brother. The eldest, beaten and livid, fled the village but swore revenge.
Before their father passed, he told the youngest of a final meeting with his brother, who was determined to undo all the work their father had accomplished, even in a following life.
This was where Kitsune stopped.
"Wait... Why are you telling me all of this? What does this have to do with me?" she questioned, staring at the figure.
The figure stopped. Her body began to morph, shifting and altering from that of a child's body to one of a fully grown woman. Her waist thinned down and her hips curved out. Long legs stretched out fully and dainty hands molded into shape. The light that had encircled her closed in on her body, weaving together to create a long, flowing, white dress that became transparent as it ended by her bare feet. Long pale brown hair, streaked with strands of white, fell down her shoulders and ended near her lower back. It moved in delicate waves, almost as if it were alive.
Kitsune gawked at the woman before, memorized by her apparent beauty. What made matters worse was the fact she hadn't even turned around yet! Kitsune was only looking at her from behind.
Slowly, the woman turned around. At first, she only turned her head but kept her face downcast and hidden with strands of white hair. She turned fully and Kitsune couldn't help but stare at her the woman's "striking" cleavage. She was definitely not human. Those couldn't be in human ranks!
The woman lifted her head. Pearl grey eyes stared back at her, different blends of colour sweeping across its irises. Her porcelain skin had not one blemish on its flawless surface. Her small, swollen lips held no hint of a smile. On her forehead was a single, white diamond, standing out against the silver headgear that was over her head. Her headgear was more of a hair band that looked weightless atop her head. It was decorated with pale blue crystals, giving off its own light in the darkness surrounding them.
"I-I... You... W-What..?" Kitsune found herself at a loss for words and continued to gawk at the woman. She knew staring was rude but how could do you not! The woman before her was the image of a goddess!
An embarrassed blush kissed her cheeks and she quickly looked away. "I wasn't expecting that type of reaction..."
"What were you expecting?! You look like those goddesses that appear in Percy Jackson movies!"
"Those are... greatly exaggerated..."
"And how would you know, huh? I thought cave paintings were your only source of entertainment."
The woman rose a perfect eyebrow and tilted her head to the side. Her waves of hair followed its movements, dropping to the side gracefully.
"Because... I've seen you."
"Huh?" Kitsune frowned and stared at the woman as if she had grown another head. What had she meant by that?
"I spent years peering through time... looking for you... looking at this exact moment. But I could never see past it." the woman stepped closer, her feet barely touched the ground as she moved. "After so many years of searching, of watching heroes rise and fall... I have finally found you."
Kitsune took a hesitant step back. This woman was confusing her even more than her story had. Not to mention, this lady was making her question her sexuality greatly and Kitsune didn't need that confusing burden. She looked up at the woman and scowled. "Whatever you're getting at, let me be clear. I don't believe in all those stories about chakra or auras and I certainly don't believe in the power of reincarnation. You've got me mixed up with someone else. Wait, what am I saying? You're just a figment of my imagination! This is all just one fucked up dream and when I close my eyes, I'll awake up in that disgusting apartment with no recollection of what happened here."
She shut her eyes tightly and pinched herself, hoping for a positive result. Seconds ticked by and Kitsune felt herself relax.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
The woman still stood before, her eyes pinched together in a worried frown.
"No!" Kitsune screamed, clutching her hair and stomping the ground. "This isn't happening! This isn't happening!"
"You are worrying, child. You're a worry," the woman replied, tilting her head from side to side.
"Wake me up. Take me back to my other body so I can be in reality again!"
"You may not know it now but in time, all of this will make sense to you. You were chosen. It is ordained."
"La la la la la, I'm not listening! I'm not listening!" Kitsune covered her eyes and began singing out the words, hoping she would wake up from this madness.
"You have been chosen to protect the sanctuary and end this madness caused by my brothers."
"I'm in a dream! This is all fake!"
The woman sighed, shaking her head. She watched Kitsune bounce around on her feet and allowed the smallest of smiles to cross her lips. She whispered more to herself than to Kitsune, her eyes trailing after the red head. "I could never see your future, only the possibilities. As Oracle, I will see to it that you will succeed where I did not."
Raising her hand, a lazy trail of blue energy slipped from her fingertips and drifted towards Kitsune. It wrapped itself around her neck and slid upwards, trailing up to her forehead.
Kitsune gasped as it stopped by her forehead and sunk in, washing over her. Her body swayed unsteadily, her feet staggering like a drunk. Her body collided with the solid floor, but not before she heard the woman speak up.
"Protect the future, Kitsune. They need you."
OoOoOoO
"Wake up."
His body ached in multiple places; his stomach worst of all. A not-so subtle warmth spread throughout his stomach, heating up as if it were magma in his veins. Naruto mumbled into his arm, shifting his weight more to his left. His arm bent awkwardly against his stomach, causing his elbow to jab into his ribs.
The ground beneath him was unbearably hard and uncomfortable. Darkness was the only thing beyond his eyelids, shrouding him in absolute black.
When did he fall asleep?
Another jab to his head.
Peeking an eye open, Naruto tried to decipher where he was without moving. It was too dark for him to see clearly. Hell, he couldn't see anything.
Another kick, this one firmer than the previous two. A searing pain shot through his head, one that painfully rattled his brain within his skull.
Naruto sat up and turned in the direction of where he suspected the suspect was. All he could see was darkness. The same as if his eyes were closed. Frowning, Naruto turned his head in all directions to find even a glimpse or flicker of light.
Where was he?
"Come on, get up. I don't have all day. I'm dead already."
The voice again. Obeying without fault, Naruto got to his feet and turned to where he heard the voice. Still the same pitch black.
"Who's there?" Naruto called, his eyes shifting around nervously.
"Kami, you're loud. Out of all the people to pick I get the loud one. Dammit, Maya..."
"Whoever you are, come into the light!" Naruto hoped his voice sounded more stern than intended but he knew it was highly unlikely. His voice wobbled near the beginning of his sentence, an unfortunate tell of his when he woke up from a long and pressing sleep.
"Light? What do you think this is, Heaven? Even I can tell there isn't even a peek of light in this place; and I'm pretty sure I've been stuck here for Kami knows how long."
The voice moved closer to where he was and soon Naruto felt a warmth right in front of him, as if he were sharing air with someone else. Naruto balled his hands up tighter into fists. Something dug into his right palm, its thin exterior curving into his flesh.
A stick, maybe?
His mind jumbled around his head. If he remembered correctly, he was holding that gold wand before he... Did he pass out?
That was embarrassing. He passed out in front of everyone. Massive bummer. Naruto rubbed his forehead. Kitsune was going to remind him of this day for the rest of his miserable existence.
"Try using the wand, numb skull. Shed some light on this situation."
Naruto found himself obeying the voice again though it wasn't entirely his decision. His arm rose on its own and he felt his wrist flick a bit to the side. A surge of what Naruto could only describe as warmth travelled through his arm and into the wand that was still wrapped firmly between his fingers. Suddenly, a small glow appeared at the end of the wand. It reflected off of the object and revealed its stunning gold covering.
The gold wand from the store!
Everything came back to Naruto, rushing over him like a freight train. He remembered sneaking off with Kitsune into the basement of that creepy wand store. He remembered how Kitsune had clumsily knocked over the glass display. He remembered Jiraiya's livid voice erupt from upstairs. He remembered grabbing the two wands from their casing. And then there was darkness.
That must've been when he passed out. But why though?
"I would be asking myself the same thing."
"Okay, seriously. Who the hell are you?" Naruto hissed, holding the wand up.
The glow from his wand casted over the speaker, giving him a clear look of who he was speaking to. A tall man with brown hair stood before him, white bandages wrapped around his forehead. He had small narrow eyes, dark irises staring back at him. There was something about him that made Naruto begin to wonder if he knew him, or if he was supposed to know him.
Holding up his wand, Naruto narrowed his eyebrows. "Who are you?"
"I've gotten so bored of that question. Honestly, I swear I've heard it at least a dozen times this century," the man sighed, pressing a hand to his temple.
Century? Just how old was this guy? He didn't look more than thirty.
The man eyed Naruto up and down. His gaze was calculating, scanning every inch of Naruto's body that was visible from the faint glow of his wand. Slowly, he turned his dark eyes back to Naruto's face.
"So you're Naruto Namikaze? I was expecting a bit more... ruggedness?" as Naruto's eyebrows rose in question, the man raised a hand. "Don't ask. I've seen all kinds of men in my lifetime and you're certainly the most 'normal' out of the batch. A bit singed around the edges but exceptionally normal."
Naruto blinked at him. It was easy to forget that he wasn't on the Earth he knew, but sometimes people said things thing to him that made his oblivious nature even more apparent than it already was.
"I suppose you have no idea what's going on, do you?" the man asked, frowning at Naruto.
Shaking his head slowly, Naruto eyed the man before him. Obviously this man hadn't been around modern civilisations for some time if he was still wearing the raggedy kimonos Naruto saw in the old fashion Japanese films back home. He was oddly tall as well. Much taller than expected from a regular sized Japanese man. The way he stood - back up straight, arms at his side, feet slightly apart - was also the perfect example of a noble family. Maybe he was one of those traditional men who still sat prim and proper on their legs while an old man with only three pubic sized hairs on his head walked up to light those scented candles.
Yep, that was his ultimate conclusion. The man before him was that kind of guy.
"Surprisingly enough, yes I am."
His eyes shot up to the strange man. His lips were upturned in a smug grin, one that put emphasis on his cheekbones. Yes, as strange as it was, Naruto knew a lot about facial structures. He grew up with a girl for crying out loud. A girl who went into extensive detail about the struggles of finding a guy with a distinct jawline and structured collarbone. These things had become a second nature for Naruto. Sometimes he pointed things out that no guy would ever notice.
"How did you know what I was thinking?" Naruto asked.
"Simple really. You have that inquisitive look in your eyes as you stared at me and your eye twitched as if you were thinking something over carefully. All boys do it, actually. I would know. It wasn't too long ago that I was one myself," the man stopped himself and frowned. "Wait a minute..."
Naruto nodded his head slowly. The man had mentioned something about centuries and his style of dress was clearly not up to date, unless he had been living under a rock.
"Can you at least tell me who you are? Or why I'm here without my..." Naruto's head whipped around, his eyes searching desperately. He held his wand up, trying to cast light to all parts of the darkness. "My sister! Where's Kitsune?"
"Relax kid. Your sister is safe; and probably awake by now. But you are perhaps right. Introductions should be given," he bowed respectfully. "I am Asura. Asura Ōtsutsuki."
"Naru- Wait, you already know who I am," Naruto rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
"To say I know you would be an understatement. In fact; I know you better than all my previous..."
Asura trailed off, leaving Naruto to wonder. All his previous what? He had mentioned men earlier, and that he had been around for years. The possible and disturbing ideas popped into Naruto's misshapen mind, sending shudders of horror through his spine. He really wanted to get out of here now. Back to Kitsune. Back to Tokyo. Back to his parents. Back to reality.
"I'm not that kind of guy, kid. Get your mind out of the gutter!" Asura groaned, rolling his neck out.
"Well, I'm sorry if I'm trying to make the best out of, how would I put this, A LESS THAN IDEAL SITUATION!" Naruto spat, bringing the wand up and holding it defensively in front of him.
Asura raised in his hands in mock surrender but nodded his head in agreement.
It was a less than ideal situation, now that Naruto thought it over. He had no idea where he was and he beginning to feel the paranoia in his veins bubble to life. The undeniable urge to run had left him defenceless, irrational. Accompanied by the looming darkness, he was wondering why he hadn't cowered into a ball and screamed for someone to rescue him.
Knowing that the one before him was a possible mind reader, Naruto diverted his thoughts to anything but fear.
"I just wanna know where I am, how I got here, and why no one has come looking for me," Naruto said softly, lowering the wand ever so slightly.
"Look - Why would they need to go looking for you? You didn't even leave the building," Asura rose a hand and snapped his fingers. A ball of light appeared beside him, mixes of red, blue and yellow blending together to form a familar image. Naruto squinted his eyes at it.
He was able to see Jiraiya and Uta, both leaned over him and Kitsune. Jiraiya was furiously shaking a very comatose Naruto while the old wand crafter prodded at Kitsune's face with hesitant worry.
"That's-"
"You. As you can clearly see, you are very much still on Earth. Maybe not in the same place but you're still there," Asura shrugged.
Naruto didn't understand any of it though. If he was there on Earth, how come he wasn't awake? He should've woken up by now.
He winced. And with the smack that Jiraiya just delivered to his head, he should've definitely stirred from his state.
But here he was. Not feeling an ounce of pain.
"You're in the safety of your own mind, to put it lightly. They can't hear you from here and you won't be yelling anything out of your physical form from here either. Which gives me time to explain everything in great detail"
Spinning around, Naruto held the wand up to Asura's face. "First tell me where my sister is."
Asura stood still for a moment before raising and lowering his left shoulder. "She's safe with my sister. And my sister has a round-about way of speaking which means your sister - Kitsune, I think her name was - is being properly taken care of."
The playful demeanor that Asura had put on slowly slipped away, leaving behind a mask concealed man. His dark eyes hid behind a pain. A pain that was so miserable, so hateful, Naruto was beginning to wish the sarcastic version of this man had remained behind. But Naruto had seen it before. As he spoke to him, Naruto could this man had been hiding behind a wall that he had taken years, maybe decades to build.
"I hate to do this and over the years, I've grown weary of having to do this to every new person I meet but... It seems until this cycle is completed, I have no choice but to pass it on."
Asura went on to explain a rather complicated and painful cycle, one leading back to the very first sorcerer. Naruto felt obligated to listen despite not knowing anything about the world he was in. Maybe it would shed light on the situation he was currently in, or maybe it would lead him further into confusion.
For millennium after their deaths, the souls and chakra of Asura, his brother Indra, and his sister, Maya, would continue to be reincarnated into their descendants. A cycle would not start again however until both of the current reincarnations had passed away. In some cases, a reincarnation would be alive long after their rival passed on, leaving the cycle to continue for an extended period of time. As soon as the chosen one of that generation passed on, the cycle immediately continued; with three new actors to play the part.
Asura explained in detail of those who came before; of his previous chosen one. A man known as Hashirama Senju. The last name rung a bell in Naruto's mind and he instantly tensed up. He knew his family name when he heard it.
Hashirama had been chosen as the reincarnation of Asura for that generation, and his rival was a man known as Madara Uchiha. For some time, it seemed that Hashirama and Madara would be the ones to end the cycle that arose from the brotherly conflict. But it was all for nought. Hashirama defeated Madara and arose the victor, but even after his passing, the next cycle did not occur.
"What happened?" Naruto questioned, his eyes wide with curiosity.
"Madara survived somehow. He faked his own death by feigning the severity of his injuries. They were fatal, yes; but Madara was an Uchiha, a direct descendant of my brother. Not even death can hold them long," Asura whispered sadly, staring down at the blackened floor beneath his feet.
The pieces were slowly arranging themself in Naruto's head. From what he could tell, all the previous reincarnations had been somehow related to Asura, Indra or Maya. They were all direct descendants, never straying far from the bloodline.
Hashirama was a Senju which was somehow related to Asura's long lost clan. Madara had been an Uchiha, related to this notorious Indra character. Maya however; Naruto didn't know much about her. Asura had mentioned she was his younger sister, an Oracle - gifted with the ability to see into the past, future and shape reality to her will. All in all, she sounded dangerous but a twinkle always sparked in Asura's eyes as he spoke of her with a great fondness.
Naruto didn't need to see any writing to know why Asura was telling him all of this either.
"I'm the Chosen, aren't I?" Naruto whispered, his hands clenching at his side.
Asura was silent for a moment. He stared at Naruto with an unreadable expression before nodding. "Yes. You, as well as your sister and the other Uchiha, were chosen long ago, so that we may know lasting prosperity in the near future."
"Kitsune is possessed as well?" Naruto gasped.
"That's not the word I'd use... Try, gifted."
"There isn't really a word to use for any of this. I didn't really think I'd be the chosen one for some dead guy when I rolled out of bed this morning," Naruto groaned. "None of this makes sense!"
"Not everything does and not everything has to."
Naruto nodded his head awkwardly. He had begun to pace the darkness repeatedly, running his hands over his hair. How was he supposed to approach this? It wasn't the same as figuring out an algebra equation. He didn't have a choice in this matter. All he could do was come to terms with it and hope that maybe, just maybe, this little predicament of his would blow over and he would be able to live his normal life again.
That was if he ever got his normal life back.
Naruto stopped his frantic pacing and turned to Asura. "You said that there was another one. Another reincarnation along with me and Kitsune. Who are they?"
Asura stared at Naruto silently for a moment, his eyes dancing around. The look on his face alone told him all he needed to know. Not even Asura knew who it was.
For someone who had an all-powerful oracle for a sister, he didn't really know much on anything.
"Maya never told me specifically who it was but I have my suspicions. The cycle wouldn't just continue with any one at random. Every vessel has been connected to us one way or another. Whether by blood or by marriage," Asura answered.
"So, whoever is the next reincarnation for Indra would be..."
"Would be an Uchiha."
OoOoOoO
Naruto awoke with a jolt. His whole body stiffened as he shot up into an upright position. Soaked locks of hair hung across his face. His shirt clung to his chest uncomfortably, shifting stiffly against his flesh as he moved.
It had to be a dream. All that talking, that strange man in the traditional attire. It couldn't possibly be real.
"It was a dream," he told himself firmly. "It was just an insane dream."
"Naruto, you're finally awake!"
Naruto scrambled to his feet, knocking over the newly repaired cabinet. There an annoyed growl followed by mumbles but he quickly ignored it. Sitting across from where he had been laying, was none other than Jiraiya and Uta. Kitsune lay beside them, a ragged pillow cushioned beneath her head and her body as straight as could be. Her face was in one solid place, her eyes not moving beneath her eyelids.
"Kitsune!" Naruto fell by her side and grabbed onto her hand. "Come on! Wake up, please!"
"Don't harrass the poor girl. She hit her head harder than you did," Uta mumbled, waving his haggered looking wand at the pile that was the cabinet.
Looking around quickly, Naruto saw they were still in the basement of the store. Only now the lights had been turned on, flooding the room in a pool of pale light. It wasn't as creepy as it had been when the lights were turned off; in fact, the room looked like all other basements Naruto had come across in his life. Shelves stacked with various books were to the left of him, as well as odd boxes and jars keeping the books upright. Inside the jars were what appeared to be pickled eggs, or at least Naruto hoped it was pickled eggs.
There was a noise beside him that made Naruto jump. He looked down at Kitsune. Her eyebrows twitched and her face scrunched up. She mumbled something inaudible and rolled her shoulder out against the cold floor. A yelp left her lips.
Her eyes opened slowly, blue orbs hazy with sleep.
"Where... Where am I?" Kitsune groaned.
"Uta-san's basement. You passed out after you-" Naruto's eyes trailed off to the wand, still clutched tightly in her small hand.
Following Naruto's gaze, Kitsune removed her fingers from around the wand and stared intently at it. The stones laced within its wooden surface shone bright colours, reflecting across the skin of her hand. Kitsune ran her thumb gently across the stones. Each time her thumb glazed over the stones, it reacted with its own burst of illumination.
"How very curious..." a soft voice said.
The twins looked toward Uta and both raised an eyebrow.
"What is?" they chorused.
Uta fixed the twins with his pale stare.
"Those wands have been in my store for years. They have not seen the light or day nor been in the hands of a sorcerer for decades, maybe even millennia. It is curious - no, it is astonishing that after all this time; those wands react to you three."
Naruto swallowed.
He glanced down at his clenched hand. The golden wand poked out from either end, its warmth spreading steadily throughout his arm.
It hadn't been a dream. It was all real and he was really the Chosen one.
Kitsune was in the same position. Her shoulders had went rigid and she stared down stiffly at the ancient wand in her hand.
The two shared a glance; and Naruto knew at once that Kitsune already knew just as well as he did, maybe even better, about that the predicament they were in.
Kitsune focused on Uta. "There were three wands if I remember right. Where's the other one?"
"Like I said, the wands reacted to three of you. You two and..."
Uta's face twisted into one of realization. He frowned and stared at the two of them as if they had grown another set of heads.
"And who else?" Jiraiya spoke. It had been the first time he had actually answered since the two woke up and his voice was laced with uncertainty.
The nerves of it boiiled within Naruto. His head throbbed with the information given to him by Asura. The realization that it was all reality and not fantasy; it made every bone in his body shift.
"Would be an Uchiha."
Asura's voice rang out in his mind. An Uchiha. Whoever had the other wand had to be an Uchiha.
"Was it an Uchiha?" Naruto asked.
Eyes widening, Uta rose a thin eyebrow at Naruto. "How did you know?"
"A lucky guess," Kitsune mumbled. Naruto looked at his sister. Her eyes were downcast, focused on anything that wasn't the wandering eyes around her.
So she knew about it too? Naruto felt a wave of relief at this but couldn't help but feel like an added burden was forced upon his and Kitsune's shoulders. The weight of the world was sitting on them yet; they had no idea how to relieve that weight.
Naruto looked up at Uta. "Who was it? What was his name?"
Uta glanced at Jiraiya, then toward the twins. His pale eyes watched them for some time before he finally spoke, his voice soft, barely about a whisper.
"Sasuke Uchiha."
OoOoOoO
10 hours earlier
Sasuke woke early that morning. He could tell it was daylight out but kept his eyes shut tight.
Today was finally the day. He was finally going to Sixth Sanctum. After so many years of hoping to be considered a wizard, he was delighted when he received the slug.
Yes. A slug actually came to the compound and informed him of his acceptance.
Sasuke yawned and ran a hand across his face. He should've been treasuring the last moments with his bed but he really didn't feel like moving from his current position. Honestly, he wished Mikoto and Fugaku would handle all school issues so he wouldn't have to run into Karin or Sakura, or Kami forbid, Ino.
The very thought of his accidental girlfriend sent shivers through his spine. It had all been an act until he was saddled with the actual and time-consuming responsibility.
He sat up and dragged himself out of the warm bed. There was still a lot to do before the actual day and he needed to get a few things before then.
Sasuke ran through his usual morning routine, showering, brushing his teeth, combing his hair, making his bed. He sped through it as quickly as he could.
A crow swooped in and circled his room, individual black feathers scattering across the floors.
Sasuke glared.
"Itachi..." he growled.
What he didn't need right now was his anthropocentric brother badgering him about the responsibilities of being accepted into Sixth Sanctum. He already lived within his shadow. He didn't need more lectures.
Sasuke swatted at the crow, glaring at it with as much heat as he could muster. "Tsukiyomi! Get out!"
He picked up a pillow and began his failed attempts of trying to get the wretched crow out of his room. Tsukiyomi fluttered onto the bedside table and stared at Sasuke, its piercing red eyes watching him. The crow had the Uchiha clan's signature technique embedded into his eyes making him almost valuable.
Sasuke had always believed it to be foolish to trust an animal with your life like that. But then again, he would have a summoned animal as soon as he arrived at Sixth Sanctum.
A bubble of excitement rose within Sasuke and he quickly had to squelch it down before he actually expressed it.
"Try to be kind to Tsukiyomi, Sasuke. You need to learn to be more accepting of animals if you're ever going to fit in at Sixth Sanctum."
Sasuke turned his head toward the window and frowned at his brother. Itachi was crouched on the windowsill, his silhouette framed by the daylight behind him.
"What?"
Itachi pushed his way through the window and leaned himself up against the frame. "Sixth Sanctum is filled with summoned animals, Sasuke. Summoned animals by every single student residing there. You're going to need to learn to accept them and the fact you'll probably have to share a room with someone whose pet will drive you to the verge of insanity."
"I'm not an idiot. I figured as much when you brought that thing home," Sasuke hissed.
Sasuke had figured out the animal rule back when Itachi first came back from Sixth Sanctum for the end of year holiday. That was also when he brought Tsukiyomi home. The crow had at first been silent most days and still had his beady yellow eyes but once the rest of Itachi's friends came over for a "visit", Tsukiyomi suddenly had his penetrating eyes that bore into the soul of whoever he focused on.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and tugged on his shirt, straightening it out. He knew why Itachi was there. It was obvious.
He wanted to talk to him before he started school tomorrow.
But there would be enough time for that tomorrow. Sasuke made his way downstairs along with Itachi. Mikoto was already waiting patiently, checking over the Sixth Sanctum lists for both first year and fourth year. She looked up and smiled at the two.
"All ready, boys?"
Sasuke grunted in response while Itachi merely nodded.
Sasuke was just starting Sixth Sanctum while Itachi was already in his final year. Not that that was a problem. The Uchiha clan had more than enough money to handle what they needed.
The three of them travelled to the town centre. They got all of Sasuke and Itachi's books, as well as the needed stationery such as cauldrons, vials, extra clothes and a new chakra board for Itachi.
Itachi ran into Kakuzu and Konan, two of his close friends from the Academy, and went off with them, leaving Sasuke alone with his mother. Unfortunately, she had her own matters to attend to and dropped him off at the clothing store.
Sasuke entered the store, hands stuffed in his pockets. He eyed the tapestries strung from the ceiling and the sequenced cloths decorating the window.
A round, smiling woman approached him.
"Uchiha-sama. Come for your Sixth Sanctum uniform?" she held an arm out to the room to the right of her. "Head on inside. Someone will be waiting for you."
Sasuke had been to this very uniform shop for years but had never truly bothered to learn the owner's name, nor to look up at the clear sign over her door as to what it was called. He just knew the woman who owned the place was polite enough to actually address him by his clan name.
In the back of the store, a boy with his hair pulled up into a ponytail was standing in front of a second woman who pinned up his long robes. By the look of it, he knew it be the Gauntlet robes used at Sixth Sanctum. The sport was well known and all the best players seemed to start at Sixth Sanctum. Sasuke eyed it sceptically. This boy looked around the same age as him. Why was he getting the uniform now when he probably didn't even know what house he was in yet?
Sasuke stood near a woman who measured his arms and legs with a tape measure and stared at the wall in front of him.
A silence filled the air, only being broken occasionally by the sound of a needle stringing through fabric. Sasuke didn't know why he felt the need to but the silence was droning on and he wanted nothing more than for at least one of the shop assistants to start speaking.
"Sixth Sanctum, too?" asked the boy beside him.
"Yeah. You?" Sasuke asked.
"You're probably wondering why I'm getting Gauntlet uniform considering I'm a first year, aren't you?"
Sasuke tilted his head from side to side. At least now he knew this boy was a first year like he was.
"My mother believes I'll be in Kona's house and that I'll join the stupid Gauntlet team so she forced me to at least be prepared for anything."
Sasuke nodded. So a Kona boy too. That was the house that nearly every Uchiha had been placed in at Sixth Sanctum. Sasuke had never heard of someone in his clan who was not placed in that house. There was probably was one apple that fell far from the tree but he had never heard of it before. Fugaku probably wanted to pretend that person never existed or he was convinced that Sasuke would make it into Kona as well.
Sasuke hissed as the tape measure moved on its own and flicked him on the nose to keep his face forward.
"What house do you think you'll be in?" the boy asked.
"Nobody knows until they get there," Sasuke rolled his eyes, displeased with this boy's lack of knowledge on the school.
"I know that I'm just asking for your intuition. What house do you think you'll be placed in when we get there."
Probably Kona. Sasuke thought, his eyes drifting to the wooden floors. He wished he could be in any house just to prove to his father that regardless of house, you'd still be the same person but he knew to think otherwise. His parents, grandparents, great-grandparents were all in Kona. Even Itachi was and he was a prefect now.
Now Sasuke felt the pressure. He would have to prove himself or else he'd live under Itachi's shadow the rest of his life.
"Who knows? My family doesn't really follow a certain house," Sasuke said softly. That was the biggest lie and he knew it.
"Same. My mother used to be a Kiri girl and my father was a Kona. Apparently I'm a half-and-half."
Footsteps entered from the first room and Sasuke turned his attention to the door. Itachi was leaning up against the doorframe, his hands stuffed casually into his pockets. He craned his head to the side. "Almost done?"
Turning his eyes down to the woman measuring his feet, Sasuke huffed. He really wanted to get out of the stuffy clothing store before he actually started to like it.
"Hey, Itachi," the boy greeted, raising his one hand in a little wave.
"Nice to see you again, Shikamaru. Yoshino-san seems to have her hopes up."
"You have no idea."
Sasuke turned his head fully to the side and eyed the boy beside him. Thin eyebrows, lazy expression, hair pulled into a pineapple ponytail, green attire. Shikamaru Nara. How could he have not noticed?
Shikamaru was unequivocally the most lazy boy Sasuke had ever seen. He knew the young Nara from their previous school, Chehon Academy. It was like all other schools; taught them basic mathematics, language, and so forth. Magic was taught on the side, such as the types of magic in the world and when it was safe to use it. Shikamaru was the boy who was never awake for any of the lessons but someone still managed to get 100% at the end of the term for history and physical science.
Shikamaru must've felt Sasuke staring at him because he turned to face the Uchiha. "Nice to see you too, Sasuke."
A warmth spread out over Sasuke's cheeks. He glared at Shikamaru before looking in front of him again as the woman beside him finished his measurements.
The woman finished up and smiled at Sasuke. "All done, dear," she smiled at Itachi sweetly, having known him for years before looking over at Shikamaru. "What are you still doing here, Nara-san?
"Why are you asking me?" Shikamaru rose an eyebrow.
Sasuke was quiet as they walked down the street, heading toward the wand emporium to get his first wand. He had a lot of worries to sort through before he went to Sixth Sanctum and he didn't know where to start.
At least he knew Shikamaru was going to be there. That was one friendly face. He had to do a mental checklist in his head since there were a few children who were accepted but never actually went to Sixth Sanctum.
Oh how he wished the little group of fangirls would go somewhere far away. He would pay for Ino and Sakura to just go to that all-girls school in the east. Not that it was an all-girls school. There were a few boys but they were hardly considered boys in his books.
So he knew Shikamaru, Ino and Sakura were going to Sixth Sanctum. Who else was there?
Mangetsu went to Sixth Sanctum so it was pretty obvious that Suigetsu would follow suite. There was another one off his list...
Jugo was definitely going. That much was certain. Karin had already confirmed with him before the holidays even started that she would be going so he didn't need to check her off.
He felt like he was forgetting someone important but couldn't put his finger on it. He could ask Mikoto to buy him one of those glass balls that changed colour when you forgot something vital but then he would look like that idiot in fourth year who carried a massive sword but was a walking wreck around his head of house.
They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Itachi caught up with Konan and Kakuzu again, but this time Deidara was with them. The artist was critically pointing out the disadvantages of sculpting clay laced with C4 explosives.
"Itachi my man! Brought your little brother with you," Deidara grinned at Sasuke, his blonde hair falling in front of his left eye.
"Oh, don't patronize him, Deidara. One of these days, Sasuke will be the one mocking you on your skill," Konan rolled her eyes.
"That'll be the day! He won't be able to burn his way through wet tissue paper!"
If this was the type of friends Itachi chose to surround himself with, Sasuke could see why Fugaku got so irritated when they came over to the house. Not that any of them were idiots. Konan was a bloody genius. The brightest witch of her year. Not to mention her rare ability was one to behold.
Kakuzu was probably smart, if he actually bothered to show it off once and while. He spent way too much time with Hidan to actually prove it. That damn cult leader...
Deidara was an OCD artist. His obsession with clay made Sasuke slightly uncomfortable. Not to mention the fact all his pieces of art looked like a six year old could come up with it. He was also a pretentious asshole. Sasuke knew that for a fact, having grown up with the boy.
There were more friends that Sasuke had seen around the house but he didn't see them anywhere so he didn't feel like running through their attributes.
The small group made their way to the wand emporium, Deidara talking animatedly about his holiday. Sasuke caught brief snippets of it but didn't really pay much attention. He heard Kurotsuchi's name in the mix and rolled his eyes.
Deidara's girlfriend. She was the prefect for the Ame house, and just like Deidara, she was over-confident and could sometimes be a real asshole.
Someone knocked into Itachi as they tried to hurry past him. The stranger wore a tan cloak, the hood pulled on over their head. The speed at which they crashed into Itachi caused both of them to topple over. Deidara quickly stepped back, his hands up as if to shield himself.
Sasuke took a step back and looked between Itachi and the stranger. The hood had fallen off and revealed crimson hair tied up into a delicate bun.
The stranger groaned and shook her head from side to side.
"I apologize. Are you alright?" Itachi asked politely, watching the girl with a look of pure concern.
The girl opened and closed her mouth, trying to come up with something to say probably. She opened her eyes and Sasuke felt something constrict in his chest. Large, blue eyes stared angrily at Itachi. The anger that lingered there quickly slipped away and was replaced with pure embarrassment. Her sun-kissed cheeks darkened with the kiss of a blush.
"N-No, that's alright. I-I-I should've been looking where I was going," the girl stammered, focusing on her the ground beneath her.
Great. Itachi's looks made the impression on another girl.
Itachi stood up slowly and extended a hand to her.
There was a moment's pause. The girl didn't do anything and stared at Itachi's hand with wide eyes. Sasuke didn't understand why but he wanted the girl to reject Itachi's gesture of sincerity. He almost felt a swell of pride when he saw the flicker of disappointment in Itachi's eyes.
That pride quickly diminished as the girl accepted Itachi's hand and allowed herself to be pulled onto her feet. She swayed from side to side, clearly dizzy.
"Are you sure you're alright? Your face is turning as red as your hair," Itachi looked the girl over once, trying to find any injuries she may have sustained.
"I-I-I-I'M FINE!" the girl yelled, stomping on Itachi's foot and quickly speeding off.
Sasuke reached a hand out. He wanted to stop her but was too late. She weaved her way through the crowd, her hair being the last thing he saw before she disappeared.
Who was she? And why was he suddenly so conflicted?
He had never seen her before in his life, or at least, he thought he had never seen her.
But there was something about those eyes, and that shockingly bright hair. Sasuke found himself remembering her tanned skin, those round eyes. He didn't even know her name yet he would be able to tell her from a crowd of people.
No one; no one, had hair like that.
Deidara suddenly burst out laughing. He clutched his sides and gasped for breath. "You just got rejected, my man! That was pure art! The wounded pride of an Uchiha!"
Itachi narrowed his eyes slightly at Deidara but said nothing. He glanced in the direction the girl sprinted in then walked off, the three teenagers following.
Sasuke stood on tip-toes and tried to spot the girl again but was met with the swarm of usual civilians. He did spot a bright pink blob of hair and instantly recognized it.
"Shit!" Sasuke hissed, ducking after the three.
They went down the dark alley way toward Uta's wand emporium. Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to shake off the sneaking suspicion he'd be robbed in this area. There were hundreds of places to get wands. In fact, everyone got their wands from Uta. There wasn't a sorcerer alive who thought differently.
There was a twinkling sound as Itachi pushed the door to the store open. He allowed Konan to go in first, then Sasuke. Kakuzu went in and quickly slammed the door shut before Deidara could even step through. The blonde artist snapped at him. "You turd!"
Sasuke looked around the store and pushed his hands deeper into his pockets. The store was dark with the only light being the daylight streaming from the outside. The shelves around him were stacked with narrow boxes. Boxes filled with valuable wands. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled. He hated this store from the moment he stepped in with Itachi when it was his first year. There was an air about the store that unsettled him to his core.
"Good afternoon, Uchiha heirs."
Deidara yelped and backed up into a shelf. A stream of boxes crashed into his head, pushing him to the floor. No one, not even Uta, rushed to help. Konan rose an eyebrow and sighed before kneeling beside Deidara and pushing the boxes around to find him.
"Uta-san," Itachi bowed his head respectfully. Kakuzu merely nodded and looked around the store again.
"H-Hi, Uta-san," Konan stammered, smiling distractedly at the old man.
Uta didn't pay them any mind and stared quietly at Sasuke. His cold stare unsettled him even more. Hands behind his back, Uta circled Sasuke slowly.
"I forgot you've come of age, Uchiha-sama. But I knew I'd be seeing you soon," Uta said. He grabbed Sasuke's arm and lifted it up, examining it closely. "If I remember correctly, Itachi-sama, your wand is made of ash wood, eleven inches, supple. Wonderful wand for illusion casting."
"That's right," Itachi nodded.
"And Konan, your wand. Ten and a half inches, flexible, made of cherry wood. Mainly for transfiguration."
"Huh? Oh yeah, cherry," Konan mumbled, pushing aside boxes.
Sasuke tried to look away but Uta was so close he could feel the old man's breath fanning out across his face. They were almost nose to nose. Sasuke took a step back and accidentally stepped on Deidara's outstretched hand.
"Which would be your wand arm?" Uta questioned, finally stepping back.
Wand arm?
"I'm right-handed," Sasuke waved his right hand.
Uta turned away from Sasuke and began looking through all the wands. He pulled box after box down, mumbling to himself before putting them back and going onto the next box.
Wasn't this man supposed to measure or something? What if he got a wand that was either too long or to heavy for him? Okay, the heavy part was a lie but still. Uta couldn't possibly know just by looking at him how long his arm was.
He came back with a three boxes and slowly took the wands out. He held out a long wand, perfectly straight and pointed at the tip.
"Here. Try this," Uta said.
Sasuke took the wand and held it firmly in his hand. He waved it around a bit, expecting sparks to appear or for something to happen but before he could even think it through, Uta took the wand back.
"Definitely not that. Try this one. Beechwood. Same as your father's."
Taking the wand, Sasuke barely rose the wand when Uta took that one as well.
Wand after wand, Sasuke was certain that they were getting nowhere. Deidara had been rummaged from the boxes and was sitting on top of a finished pile. Konan was sitting close to Itachi, their elbows basically pressed against each other.
He tried again and again but got nowhere; and Uta wasn't much of a help. He was over the moon with the build up of wands. Sasuke suspected Uta never had much of a challenge. It honestly looked that way.
Sasuke sighed and sat down on a lone footstool. His feet ached and they had been there for hours. Kakuzu had dozed off in the corner of the store and so had Konan. Deidara wasn't even trying to disguise his tiredness. He snored away loudly, using the boxes as a make-shift bed.
Itachi tried to keep himself awake but even Sasuke could sleep the way his older brother's eyes drooped.
Honestly, Sasuke was right on board with that idea.
He glanced around the store, eyeing the contents of it. There wasn't much in it aside from shelves and boxes. The windows were near the top of the ceiling and only allowed a thin stream of light to flood in. A chilling breeze swept throughout the store despite the boilling temperatures outside.
Sasuke glanced toward the counter and spotted an open door behind it. Dull light peeked through. The light was brighter than the rest of the store though, and almost urged him to come into its warmth.
He looked toward Uta. The old man was examining each wand before he gave it to him now. He had to be certain in case nothing happened.
With his back turned, Sasuke knew that he had a good chance of sneaking Uta and taking a peek inside.
He stood up slowly from the stool and crept across the landing. He ducked around the counter and inched closer and closer toward the door. The floor let out a strangled shriek. He stopped suddenly.
Hopefully... He peered over the edge of the counter and saw that Uta was still busy examining the wands one by one. He probably didn't even hear him move past.
Sasuke reached out and held onto the edge of the doorframe, using it as support while he inched through the doorway. It creaked from his weight, causing him to quickly release it. Stopping near the edge of a staircase, he looked down carefully. An open door was at the bottom but complete darkness was all he could see beyond it. The urge to open it further rivalled that of his urge to run back to Itachi. Fifty fifty chance for both.
He went with his gut.
Each step let out a small moan but he ignored it and moved quickly down. He pushed forward and tumbled down the staircase, pushing open the door to the basement. The door swung open but automatically shut behind him. Sasuke let out a groan and rubbed his lower back. A stinging throb resonated through his spine.
He opened one eye and looked around. The entire room was shrouded in darkness all except for one place.
A single ray of light shone down on a glass cabinet. He couldn't see from where he stood but Sasuke could make out the fabric of a red cushion. He inched toward it, dusting his hands off on his pants. With each step, he was able to get a clearer view of what was in the casket.
Three wands. Ancient wands that deserved a spot in a museum.
The first wand was a slightly skew gold wand with intricate designs of copper suns across its length. The middle one was a milky white with various specks of grey stones embedded in its wood. The handle curved into a cupped petal shape.
Lastly, was a shiny silver wand, perfectly straight with ruby red designs of crescent moons decorating it.
Suddenly, Sasuke felt a magnetic pull toward the wand, pulling his hand closer to it. Whispers echoed in his mind, hissing at him to take it. Invisible fingers prodded at his spine. Like metal against metal, Sasuke could feel the screeches in his brain and had no choice to oblige.
His fingers wrapped around the metal clasp in the front, effortlessly unhinging it. The glass door swung open, an invisible force having pushed it open. Again Sasuke felt his arm move on its own. It stretched out and his fingers grazed over the silver wand near the back. Hesitant, he stared at it before his hand latched onto it, yanking it out of the case.
A freezing chill spread through his arm, as if he had plunged his hand into a bucket of ice. Sasuke quickly tried to release it but found his hand wouldn't cooperate. The whispers turned to screams, scratching against his ears.
The chill in his arms didn't even subside and instead travelled to his shoulder, his neck and up to his brain. He let out a pained cry as the chill expanded through his brain. Warm tears burst from his eyes, streaming down his cheeks.
He collapsed, nearly knocking the cabinet over. Furious whispers travelled around him but he wasn't able to pinpoint which voice belonged with who. But the distinct and obvious voice he picked up on was right in front of him. The voice chuckled, a low and hungry sound.
"Finally."
OoOoOoO
"W-Where am I?" Sasuke groaned, having recovered from his sudden shock.
He sat up slowly, rolling his shoulders out. Every muscle screamed in agony and he felt the excruciating chill you only ever got from holding an ice cube for too long. Goosebumps prickled across his skin, forcing the hairs to brush uncomfortably against the fabric of his shirt.
Sasuke quickly ran a hand over his arm, trying to gather some warmth.
"You're awake then," a voice answered.
Sasuke jumped. He backed further into the purple haze and looked around vigorously. Waves of black inked around him as if he were swimming. A chilling breeze crept across his skin but came from no specific direction.
"Who's there?" Sasuke asked, getting to his feet. He looked down at his hand and found the wand still clasped tightly between his fingers.
A liquid like substance trickled from between the gaps in his fingers. Slowly, Sasuke uncurled his fingers and watched in horror as his blood coated the very design of the wand.
He quickly dropped the wand and watched it bounce off of the "floor".
"Hfff. Did the same thing with me when I first got it. Not as much blood but same method."
Sasuke backed up and got into a proper stance, his feet apart and legs bent. His arms quickly went in front of his chest and his hands curled into fists, ready to strike whoever threatened him. The voice let out an annoyed huff.
"Honestly, I expect better from an Uchiha who was born as my reincarnation. Use your wand for defence, not your fists. That's a last resort."
Sasuke was beginning to dislike this person more and more.
Through the darkness, two crimson eyes appeared. Their petrifying pools were the only intriguing thing there and instantly captivated Sasuke. But Sasuke recognized those eyes.
"You're an Uchiha?" Sasuke said. It wasn't a question.
"Of sorts," the voice replied. Their silhouette could be seen as well as their alarming eyes but nothing more. The clouds of murky darkness behind him made it difficult for Sasuke to figure out anything.
The man didn't stand and remained in his crouched position. "My name is Indra Ōtsutsuki, the founder of the Uchiha clan, so to speak. Your elders inherited my eyes."
Sasuke felt as if the wind were knocked right out of him. He stared in horror at the silhouette before him. The founder? He was talking to the founder of the Uchiha clan? His ancestor?
He burst out laughing.
"And what is it that you find so amusing?" Indra questioned, bringing his arms to rest on his knees.
"Do you really think I'll believe that you're the founder of the Uchiha clan? That you're my clan's direct ancestor with the power of the Sharingan?" Sasuke hissed, rolling his eyes. "You died thousands of years ago. That I know for a fact!"
"Of course I died. Immortality is a fool's errand; comes with no benefits," Indra looked off to the side, staring at the purple haze. He turned back and Sasuke noted that the way his one eye squinted meant he had raised an eyebrow. "So you really believe that I'm not who I say I am?"
"I can assure you that you're more insane than that demon worshipping cultist my brother is friends with."
"Ahhh yes, Itachi. An extraordinary sorcerer. He would've been the perfect fit had he been born a few years later."
Another Itachi worshipper. Just what he needed.
Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and glared at the silhouette.
"But... I see myself more in you than I ever would in Itachi," Indra said softly.
Sasuke watched Indra for a few moments, silently contemplating the possibilities that would come from listening to this man.
Indra shifted his eyes from side to side, their bright red irises tempting him. He focused those terrifying eyes on him, unblinking and immovable.
"Your eyes. You have the same eyes that I did all those years ago. That same hunger to prove yourself. But with the way you are now, you're merely a boy trying to shove a round peg into a square hole," Indra answered, standing up and towering over Sasuke. "What if I told you that you would be able to widen that hole? To bend the rules to your advantage?"
"What are you getting at?" Sasuke hissed.
"That wand was mine centuries ago and never responded to anyone but me. For someone - especially an adolescent teenage boy - to be able to cause that type of reaction after so many years in slumber. That alone speaks highly of you."
Sasuke stepped back and felt the urge to release the wand and wake up from this crazy dream. It seemed the only reliable option at this point. Unlatching his hooked fingers, Sasuke released the wand and watched as it fell to the endless floor. Time slowed to a complete standstill. Sasuke watched it drop, but didn't see it touch the ground.
Indra tutted his tongue, shaking his head disapprovingly. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"Huh?"
Before Sasuke could even come up with a proper response, a ripple effect coursed through his body. His body was shoved roughly back as if a powerful shockwave had forced him over. Sasuke tried to steady himself and reached out, trying to grab his shoulder.
Wait... His shoulder?
Sasuke looked at his outstretched hand. The skin of his hand was a transparent violet. In fact, his whole body was a transparent violet. His eyes widened in horror. He quickly placed his hands against his stomach and expected the ending result to be his hands slipping through but he felt the material of his shirt beneath his fingers as if he were still there.
He looked up at the smug eyes of Indra.
He was suddenly sucked back into his falling form and gasped. Cold tremors shook his body and his head throbbed angrily. Sasuke glared up at Indra.
"What the hell was that?"
"Simple really. Once you tried to deny your birth right, your astral form exited your physical form," Indra said as if it were the simplest thing in the world
Sasuke tried to wrap his head around the words that left Indra's mouth. Astral commonly related to a supposed supersensible substance taking the form of an aura discernible to certain "gifted" individuals but that couldn't possibly be what had just happened. Could it?
Letting out a nervous laugh, Sasuke hoped it would mask his doubt. "Yeah right. This is all just some messed up dream that my subconscious conjured when I touched something I wasn't supposed to. Pfft! Astral form. What a joke!"
"So you don't believe in the possibility of there being more to life than meets the eye? You see the world has everyone else does," Indra said.
"I believe in the world as a complex united whole regarded as resembling the universe. I don't believe in fairy tales and just because you did that, doesn't mean I believe in this astral form or whatever crap either."
Indra stared at Sasuke with a blank expression. He then sighed and shook his head. "With the way you talk; the way you spout words without knowing the true and literal meaning, you would think that you understood the way the world works. But you don't. You laugh, blind to everything."
The ground rumbled beneath Sasuke's feet. Ravenous cracks rippled across the ground's surface, spreading out over the pools of darkness.
Sasuke felt himself being pulled into the ground and reached out to grab onto the surrounding rocks. His fingers gripped onto falling rumble. As quickly as the ground had broken apart, so was Sasuke pulled.
He floated through a crimson sky, ink black clouds painting its blood coated surface. Beneath him, dark grey fields spread out as far as the eye could see. A silver moon stood out amongst the clouds but its light was ineffective against the dark and venomous surroundings.
"Maya was right about you. Without written or proven facts, you laugh at the misuse of knowledge. I can't persuade you but... Maybe the truth will..."
The truth. What truth?
Just like before, Sasuke was pulled back roughly. Tunnel vision took over his normal sight. Stomach churning, he was left with the wave-crashing effects of nausea tumbling through his stomach. He placed both hands to his stomach and shut his eyes.
Quiet giggles drifted to his ears, and the pleasant scent of irises wafted to his nose.
Slowly opening his eyes, Sasuke found himself standing on solid ground in an endless field of irises. No wind blew. Not even a graceful breeze. Above him was a cloudy grey sky. But it wasn't the dark grey clouds that were to be expected from rain. They were light clouds that merely blocked out the sun.
Sasuke looked around him. The nauseating turmoil he had felt before had completely subsided; as if the field he was in were some kind of oasis in a barbaric desert.
"Sasuke," a soft voice said. Her tone was like music to his ears, colouring the bland world he had been standing in.
He turned around and faced the speaker. A young girl stood a few feet in front of him. Her long crimson hair fell down her back and just barely grazed the back of her legs. Deep blue eyes blinked at him.
She looked no more than nine or ten but something about her rang soft bells in Sasuke's mind.
He took a step forward. What was he supposed to ask her? Why did he feel the overwhelming urge to run up and hug her?
"Who would've thought I'd find you here. After all this time," the girl said, her lips turning up into the smallest of smiles.
"Why wouldn't you find me?" Sasuke asked before he could stop himself.
His voice sounded young; not rough and deep like he had grown used to. Staring down at his feet, he saw size 5 combat boots and knee length white shorts. Sasuke ran a hand over his face and felt the undeniable rolls of baby fat. What the hell was going on?
"It's been so long. Innocent memories are all I know when I think of you. It's... different seeing you here," the girl replied, tilting her head as she spoke. She smiled up at him, her eyes lighting up with pure, unmistakable happiness. "But I'm glad that I was able to see you. Even if it was only for the last time."
"The last time? What do you mean?" Sasuke didn't want her to leave. He wanted her to stay on longer.
"Because you're you. And I'm me. Like you said before, you don't believe in fairy tales. What if I'm just a fairytale? Something thought up to evaluate a moral."
"What are you talking about?"
The girl looked around at the irises circling them. She appeared to be lost in her own thoughts and as she spoke, it was as if she were talking mainly to herself.
"There are so many myths that I once dismissed as mere stories but... the line between our truth and myth is fragile and blurry. And I don't think I can do it on my own," she turned to her, a light tint of pink colouring her cheeks. "I need someone like you. Someone to protect me. Someone... someone who can follow out Indra's footsteps."
Indra? That asshole was talking through this girl? Sasuke wanted to feel angry, to lash out and snap at this red-haired girl but he couldn't bring himself to. Her words sounded so sincere. Honey-sweet.
He blinked, watching her.
She took a few steps forward, her hair swaying with each step. "You are the one, Sasuke. The stars shine for you now."
Lifting her hand, she held onto something tightly with her right hand. Her fingers released its hold and revealed what was hidden beneath.
The silver wand winked at him.
Sasuke took a hesitant step back. He didn't understand any of this and Indra hadn't explained anything to him. The girl before him was merely a puppet to force him to cave in. And like a fool, he was doing exactly that.
Her crimson hair and crystal eyes reminded him of the girl in the marketplace. His heart lurched forward as he noticed the similarities in the girl before him. A younger, identical copy. And he knew deep down, she had been a part of his childhood. Someone he trusted more than anything.
"Trust me," the girl whispered.
Sasuke reached out and gently took the wand from her. Images flashed through his mind. Violent, mind-shattering images of random events that he couldn't put a finger on. Sasuke screamed and tried to release the wand but his hand wouldn't cooperate with him. He fell to his knees and sobbed.
"Farewell, Sasuke-kun..." the girl whispered, stepping back as his vision faded into nothingness.