Beyond the Unseeing (Sarada Fanfic)

Chapter 3

Her lab was a bearable cold. It echoed; just like the last one. A loud incapacitating silence drilled into her eardrums, she would've thought she was deaf as well.

Yomi informs her of the date. Just to keep her updated on how long she's been down here in this laboratory or dungeon. It could be considered both for all she cared. She never understood why Yomi told her the days. Everything seemed to just blend together- so what did it matter how long she's been here? As far as she knows, Yomi says it's been two weeks since being placed here.

"It's Friday, August seventeenth." Yomi entails.

Ignoring her- like always, Sarada thankfully has some movement back. Yomi has been working efficiently to bring Sarada back to a fully functioning human being. She started repairing internal damage and trying to unblock chakra passageways. Which for the most part, is working out. But it's happening little by little. Sarada understands that it will be a long while before she can attempt to completely operate solo. Unfortunately, she is still incapacitated in her limbs. But now she is able to speak. Though she chooses not to engage in conversation with Yomi. After all, the woman was a part of the experimentation. God only knows what other lab adventures she may have had in the past.

"Anything special you want for lunch?" She asks. Silence lingers throughout the room and Sarada gives a blank stare.

A strained smile pulls at Yomi's lips. "How about some onigiri?"

Sarada doesn't say anything. Yomi sighs and eventually decides to make the food anyways. She leaves once more and Sarada is pulled back into a void of soundless echoes. The lack of seeing made it even worse than it should have been.

The silence doesn't last long. A muffled clang; supposedly the sound of something metal, hitting the floor. Curiosity washes over Sarada.

"Hello?" Her voice sounds hoarse from the lack of talking.

No one responds. Sarada exhales a puff of air. She waits a moment longer but nothing happens. She figures it must be her mind playing tricks on her. But that's when she hears a small shuffle of pit-pat's skit across the hard floor.

Sarada bites her lip in anticipation, "Is someone there?"

Again, no answer. Sarada was growing increasingly frustrated. "I know you're there!"

Suddenly she feels something pounce on her stomach. The weight of whatever is standing on her is light. Not feather-light, but light enough not to feel like she has a fifty-pound weight on top of her. There are four small taps simultaneously pacing around in circles on her stomach. She finally feels it plop itself down on her.

The small intake and outtake of breaths indicated that this was a living creature. She heard quiet purrs fill the room.

The realization brought a smile to her face. It was a cat. She never knew something as simple as a cat could bring her so much joy. For the first time in a very long time, Sarada felt as though she wasn't alone- she felt whole. Though it was just an animal, the sense of having something living and wasn't some crazed scientist, brought her immense happiness. She wanted badly to reach out and stroke the cat, but she couldn't. Her limbs still wouldn't respond to her. She just wanted to feel- what she imagined is the softness of the fur. Her only source of sense was her ears, nose, and tongue. She so desperately wanted her eyesight and touch back. She sighed. The animal then cuddled up closer to her; as if it felt the animosity radiating off of Sarada.

Sarada smiled once more. She hoped this cat would stay with her for a long time.

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Sakura woke with a dull ache throughout her body. The first thing she noticed was how her seemingly inflamed organs didn't seem to have any pain. She tried to send chakra to exterior burns she had been blotched with, but not a single drop of chakra was being sent through her pathways. Every single one of them was clogged.