Reborn as Sakura and Hinata: Lost in the Wind

Failure

My eyes opened to darkness. I blinked in confusion, wondering if I had gone blind, or if I was merely surrounded by a light consuming void. A spotlight suddenly blinded me, a harsh circle of vision being carved through the inky blackness.

I stumbled, raising my hands to shield my eyes before glancing up. My gaze slid up the form of Orochimaru, piercing gold taunting me.

"It seems you are having a hard time coming to terms with your mortality." he mused.

I blinked at him, unable to speak.

He tilted his head, long hair falling around his shoulders, "It is a lesson that even I had difficulty learning: everything comes to an end." He looked upwards into the light, "Humans are so foolish; we deny the realities of a life that we claim to appreciate."

His eyes narrowed in a studious look, "Not you. You were once able to grasp the concept of death so profoundly that you welcomed it; what happened to that frame of mind?"

"I..." I strained my mouth to work, "There's too much I need to do."

He smiled; it was not exactly malicious, but entertained and perhaps knowing, "Too much to do, too much to know, there's always an excuse to aspire for a longer life."

I stared at him as he gestured to the void, "But this is what all your efforts will bring you. No matter how much you accomplish you will die either way." his sneer now obtained its malevolent edge, "You are naive, a child who still cannot comprehend that you will die."

He shook his head with a laugh, "You cannot do anything to prevent that. You cannot save anyone from that fate. Not your family, friends, teachers, all of them will die."

I sucked in a breath; what was this?

"Does it scare you?" he mocked, "Stop trying. It's as simple as that. Let them die, and spare them the torment of living a life that will just lead to a more painful death."

Finally finding my feet, I raced forward. With a defiant cry, I reeled my arm back and slammed him across the face. His eyes widened in surprise before a wide, manic grin spread across his face.

Black hair melted into brown, and I was suddenly thrown into an arena. Neji rolled across the dirt in front of me, attempting to push himself up.

He spat blood onto the ground with a harsh laugh, "Why try when all you do is harm people by doing so?"

What?

He looked up, face cracking like porcelain where I had struck him. He reached down to the ground, and my eyes followed to see him pick up a pair of glasses. He stood, and Isaiah set the glasses back in their place.

"Why do you try to make people care for you?" he posed in his calm, analytical tone, "It makes the pain of your death worse." He smiled his kind, gentle smile, "Where are you now to offer me the guidance you promised?"

"Bell!" I heard a call from behind me, turning to see Antonio running towards me.

As he grew closer his hair grew as well, smoothing out into long flowing brown that complimented pale skin. Large Hyuga eyes begged me to reach out to her.

"Where is the love you promised them?"

Whipping back around at the intense feeling of heat from behind me I gasped in horror as Isaiah calmly stood surrounded by flames.

"You always tried to keep your promises." his face slowly broke apart into ash, "What happened to that?"

Glancing back over my shoulder I watched in terror as Hanabi tripped, scattering into dust around my feet.