Hanamaru Uchiha • Naruto Fanfiction

°two°

Overwhelming, invasive scents drifted into my range, scents that I did not and could not remember the source of. I halted my inhalation, drearily rubbing my cheek against the rough, icy cool surface beneath me. Giving the curious material a wary sniff, I growled, eyelids lazily drawing away from each other like pale curtains to expose my delicate orbs to the thin air. It, too smelled like an unidentified metal, and I angrily moved my face away from what I half-heartedly deduced was a concrete floor. The odor was haunting me, attempting to bury itself in every crevice of my body, poking at my nostrils, making me want to throw an arm over my face. I did just so, muscles pulling resolutely at the heavy limb - but it stayed limp, resting loyally on the stone by my side.

Blinking sluggishly, I furrowed my eyebrows at the vibrant colours travelling through my impaired vision. Many hues of the spectrum before my eyes morphed and moved into blurry shapes, agitating me to no end. I unblocked my chakra only to reverse the action, potent tendrils of pain constricting the spheres within my skull. The pinging discomfort caused me to whimper as I shut my eyes, milky skin wrinkling around them. Darkness engulfed me, but darkness was not enough to close out the infuriating scent that would not stop bothering me.

My brain soon registered sound, firing a volley of piercing noises at my unprepared ears. I inhaled sharply through my gaping mouth, my torso writhing on its own accord and momentarily distracting me from the rage slowly trickling out of my veins. Onyx eyes shot open, and I finally comprehended the location I had been placed in.

For whatever odd reason, I was locked inside a cell deep in the bowels of Konoha's highly secure prison. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I wondered where the shapes and sounds went.

I stiffened, clearing gaze landing on the rusted manacles clasped around my wrists. They chafed against the skin, and a pinkish rash was visible around the cuffs. A thick crimson liquid seeped out from a few of the small cuts, my eyes recognizing it as blood. Oh, I thought dumbly, Interesting.

"You're awake."

My head snapped up, swiveling in the direction the bland statement drifted from. Ignoring the pain that shot through my neck, I squinted at the figure in my line of sight, highly confused as to why the Head of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Department was crouching beside me with a look of mild disdain twisting his countenance. His bandanna was absent and the brutal scars covering his scalp were exposed. I supposed it was meant to be an intimidation tactic.

Returning his expression, I bared my teeth in irritation. "Tell me why I'm here," I demanded, disregarding respect as always as I rolled onto my back and maneuvered into a sitting position.

"You don't remember?" Something glimmered in Ibiki's dead eyes. Dread began to gather within my stomach. "Well, Uchiha-san, you guaranteed your demotion. I'll leave you to ponder those words, but you won't be alone for long. Hokage-sama would love to have a word with you."

I tensed further when that maniacal grin faded into the air, scrabbling backward to rest my spine against a frigid concrete wall. Guaranteed my demotion? I didn't understand until my brain caught up and the earlier events came rushing back, opening the gates for others. I'd lost control, but why? Uchiha-san. The name held significance for some reason -

Memories that I did not want began to flood into the forefront of my mind, and I let out a fearful gurgle. It seemed like there was no other way out; I dropped my head before snapping it back with an extreme amount of force, skull smashing into the hard stone behind me with an audible thump. A jarring pain struck me, and I had to bring up my chained hands to bite them in order to stay silent. I'll pass out soon, I thought consolingly through the pain. Then, my vision went as black as the dense shadows beyond the rusty pewter bars of my otherwise empty prison cell. I went unconscious, and the memories went away. It felt good.