Early update! Yay! ^^
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Yamato pov:
It was fascinating to watch as Sara san sketch the village's skyline whilst gazing out of the window. While she usually seemed to enjoy sketching jewelry, as it had been described about her in books, it seemed that she was good at sketching other things too. She already had quite a collection of sketches of the village and flowers and scenery.
"You're really good at this, Sara san," I said. She paused her sketching and met my gaze with a smile that reached her eyes. It roused warmth on my cheeks, for she looked radiant.
"Thank you, Yamato san," she replied. "Sketching has always been a hobby of mine since I was young, so I guess I've got quite a bit of practice to be able to draw like this. There are people who are even better than me though."
"You're being modest, Sara san," I said with a laugh.
"Not at all, I'm being truthful."
Days had rolled by, making it close to a month since Sara san had come here and began living with me. She was different from what I had expected her to be - there was no description of what kind of person she was in the books that recorded her appearance in the past, though Tsunade sama had mentioned that her grandfather, Shodaime sama had spoken fondly of her. With the kind of power she possessed, I and few of the others who knew of her identity thought that she would be arrogant, but she was not the slightest of that. She was warm and friendly, and someone easily likeable. She was headstrong and confident though, carrying the air of it around her when she spoke to anyone.
She did, however, seem sad from the moment she had come here. Kakashi senpai had said that it was because she was shocked by the major time slip but it did not seem to be so simple to me. It was obvious that she missed the people of the past that she had been with, more than she could express to anyone of this time period. After all, I had witnessed how forlorn she had been on the day she had arrived here, especially when she had sang such sad words whilst standing in the balcony. It was not my intention to eavesdrop but it was hard not to hear when it was right next to my room window. It was followed by her crying for quite a while, soft sobs being heard.
Though she did not appear as sad as before, she didn't seem entirely cheerful either even though she seemed like someone who would be all smiles all the time.
My wish to not overstep boundaries had prevented me from asking her anything of it, even though I was tempted to think that she had something beyond friendship with either Shodaime sama or Nidaime sama. It was rude to question about one's personal life, so I had quelled my unnecessary curiosity.
The past aside, I had come to see Sara san as a good friend, one of the very few I had, and I hoped that she considered me a good friend too.
"What would you like to have for dinner tonight, Sara san?" I asked, having put down the book I was reading while I sat next to her.
"Oh, I completely forgot to tell you - Kakashi san said that the three of us should go out to dinner tonight," she answered, putting down her sketch book and pencil. "So, we don't have to prepare any dinner. He said that he'll be in front of our apartment by eight."
"I see, then we should get ready. It's nearly 7:30," I replied, glancing at the time.
"Goodness, I can't even keep track of the time when I'm sketching or concentrating on something! My life would be so chaotic if it wasn't for Ando," she said with a laugh and a shake of her head.
"Who is Ando?" I asked curiously.
"A good friend of mine and my secretary. He usually keeps track of my schedule, so I'm on time for everything. His job is just as hectic as mine because we have to be together all the time. He could take over my job if he had the authority to take major decisions regarding my company," she answered with a fond smile. It seemed that she was very close to Ando san, and depended on him almost like family.
"It sounds to me like you think of him as family. Is he perhaps like a brother or a boyfriend?" I couldn't help but ask.
"A brother, definitely. I couldn't think of him as a boyfriend even if I wanted to."
"Why not?" I regretted pressing her for an answer, even scolding myself for obvious reasons, when she smile turned sad and her eyes became distant. It was a moment of uncomfortable silence before she answered.
"Because there's someone else, or perhaps it's apt to say that there was."
"I'm sorry I asked, Sara san. I didn't mean to-"
"You don't have to apologize, Yamato san," she interrupted, smiling kindly to me now. "What happened is no one's fault. I was just unlucky to lose the person I love because I'm from a different realm."
"Still, it seems that I brought back memories that upset you."
"I'm not upset, not any more than I am on a daily basis anyway. So, don't worry about it. Why don't we get ready now? Even though Kakashi san is usually late, I don't want to keep him waiting if he's on time unexpectedly."
Her words made me smile, relieved that I hadn't caused too much trouble by speaking of a topic that made her feel bad. Nodding, we dispersed so we could put on better clothes before we met with Kakashi senpai. He was no more than ten minutes late today, which was quite an accomplishment, and earned a bit of teasing from Sara san before we headed over to the nearest barbeque restaurant.
Dinner was pleasant, shared with casual conversations on lighthearted topics. Sara san enjoyed herself, seeming more relaxed than usual. It was the change of place and ambience perhaps, that had seemed to lift her spirits in the slightest.
It was my dream to serve Konoha and be appreciated for my efforts one day, not silently but out loud. Of course, that was not the only driving force that kept me doing my best to protect the people and the village and now Sara san, but I would be happy if, one day, my efforts were recognized in public.
Whatever the case, my goal now was to be a good guardian and friend to Sara san.
Sara pov:
Another uneventful day had passed with nothing to do to keep my mind from wandering to nostalgic memories. They were no longer as painful as before and only numbing, but kept me from being entirely enthusiastic nonetheless. The memories that came to me were not specific but a hazy feeling of missing many things, but the same could not be said about the fleeting moments I thought of Madara.
Despite getting a job at the Yamanaka flower shop and working with Inoichi san's daughter Ino, it was not enough of a distraction as much as it was a way for me to pass the time during the day. Of course, I spent time with several others of the village - Yamato san, Kakashi san, Naruto, Sakura, Kurenai san and Gai san - and their company was always warm and welcoming. They were all good friends I enjoyed spending time with and occasionally watched train.
Their training or sparring was never as intense as the sparring or actual battles I had seen in the past. I did not know if it was because they were holding back - either because of no desire to show me what they were truly capable of or they didn't need to train as hard thanks to the more peaceful times - or if the shinobi of this time weren't as strong as those in the past. Whatever the case, watching them train was pleasant.
On Kakashi san's suggestion, I decided to learn Healing Ninjutsu. Tsunade sama was quite happy about it and had had me learn it under Sakura. While everyone had expected that my unique chakra would make my healing special, more effective than regular healing, we were all disappointed that it was just like the Healing Ninjutsu of any other skilled medical shinobi. Well, being able to heal was better than not knowing anything at all - it was with this thought that we concluded my lessons in Healing Ninjutsu.
Though the days were long for me, it was quite a surprise that more than two months had gone by while I was in Konoha. Tsunade san had asked me to stay here for a while longer before I was sent home, though she did not reveal why she wished me to be here and for exactly how long, but I had agreed. With how my mood was, I was worried that I would not be able to give my all at work and I would not only mess up in general, but I would also unnecessarily worry Ando more than what he already was worrying about me.
Having finished dinner with Yamato san, I had retired into my room and I stood in the balcony as I did almost every night gazing at the star studded sky. With not as much light pollution here, the sky was always magical and mesmerizing to see. I remained as I was until I heard a knock on the room door. Stepping inside whilst closing the balcony door, I opened the room door to see Yamato san there.
His expression was somber, rousing a sense of uneasiness in me.
"Yamato san, what is it? Why do you look like that?" I asked.
"Sara san, I need you to come with me to see Tsunade sama," he said instead of answering my question.
"Now? Is something the matter?" I spoke while I stepped alongside Yamato san to the front door.
"Yes, unfortunately, we have some rather troubling news."
We spoke nothing more as we headed to the Hokage building. When we entered Tsunade san's office, I saw several Jounin and ANBU gathered there, including Kakashi san, Naruto and Sakura. The air was tense and it was the first time I saw an expression of anger and frustration on Naruto's face. He was always energetic and optimistic, so seeing him like this gave me a very bad feeling.
"Tsunade, what's going on? Why are we gathered here so late in the night?" I asked.
As I had expected, Tsunade and I had become good friends and hung out whenever she had time in the midst of her busy schedule of being the Hokage. We sometimes went drinking too, though I stuck to two cups even if I sometimes wanted to have more, only because I was afraid that I would speak something I shouldn't if I got tipsy. Tsunade didn't hesitate to get wasted each time after the drinking session, resulting in me taking her home while she cheered loudly on the streets on the way back. As such, we were on close, first name basis now.
"Yes, something quite unexpected happened," she answered my question. "The Akatsuki are on the move. We have gained Intel that they are aware of your reappearance and surely they are planning on a way to take you into their custody. As such, it is time for us to increase your security."
"Will I be staying with more people?" I asked.
"No, you will have to move to a different house that will be kept under ANBU watch at all times. I will be assigning a team of ten ANBU solely for that reason."
"So, it's going to be a sort of confinement," I stated.
"In a way, and for that I apologize."
"Can you not send me home?" I asked.
"We could, but it will give the Akatsuki an opportunity to summon you themselves," said Tsunade. "I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable, Sara, but this is the only way to protect you and Konoha at the moment."
"It's alright, I can understand," I answered. My opinion didn't really matter anyway - whether I liked the idea of being confined or not, I would be confined and guarded, so saying anything against it was futile.
Having passed out instructions after that, Tsunade had my belongings shifted to a high security room with grills for the windows and ANBU guarding it from all possible sides. I already felt like I was in a jail of sorts, and the thought of not being able to step out of the room for heaven knows how long had me mentally grimacing.
With a deep sigh, I shook my head and fell back onto the bed with an arm over my eyes. I didn't want to stress too much about this matter, so I let sleep grace me quickly.
Several days went by with this arrangement and, as I had expected, it bored me out of my brains. The people I had befriended were kind enough to visit every now and then to give me some company but it wasn't the same as being able to go out for a stroll or shopping or anything else. It had me wishing that matters of the Akatsuki would be taken care of soon. However, it was obvious that dealing with rogue shinobi would take time.
"I really am very sorry for putting you through such trouble, Sara," spoke Tsunade, having finished her fourth bottle of sake. Her face was flushed and her tone was slightly slurred, indicating that she was drunk already. She looked genuinely apologetic, and her words were sad and truthful.
"It's alright, Tsunade. I know you're doing this only for safety," I said in response, pouring her another shot of sake. I wasn't in the mood to drink today, so I sufficed with merely giving her company.
"Shall I have Kakashi bring you more books to read?"
"That would be nice," I agreed, smiling.
We settled into light conversation after that until Tsunade had finished another of sake. She was flushed in the face but not drunk when she left, and I settled to looking out of the window for a while. Post a filling meal and pacing the room in the name of exercise, I hit the pillow.
It took a while for me to fall asleep and I was woken to the sound of someone calling my name. Groggily, I opened my eyes to notice from the darkness of the window that it was still night time, if not very early in the morning. With a deep sigh, I sat up, wondering why I was being woken up at this time. I assumed it to be the need to provide my chakra for a team that was going out on an S rank mission - I had provided three ANBU teams with my chakra in the past two months, for they had to deal with very dangerous opponents while on their mission.
However, unexpectedly, I met Sharingan eyes of a tall, lean man wearing a dark cloak with red clouds on it. His eyes were narrow as he watched me, his gaze scrutinizing, the lower half of his face covered by the high collar of the cloak. His forehead protector with the Konoha symbol had a scratch going across it, as if he did not acknowledge his allegiance to the village. That, or he had defected.
"Tetsu Sara," he spoke my name in a silky baritone again. "You are Tetsu Sara, correct?"
"Yes," I answered tentatively, "and who are you?"
"I am Uchiha Itachi. I need you to come with me to the Akatsuki," he answered curtly. "Uchiha Madara sama's orders."
My body tensed upon the mention of the name, my heart skipping a beat and my eyes going wide. Clutching the blanket in both my fists tightly, I said, "Madara? Madara is alive? Or are you speaking of Madara of this time and not the past?"
"There is only one Uchiha Madara to have ever existed, and he is the true leader of the Akatsuki, though functions from the shadows. It is on his orders that I am here to take you to the Akatsuki. I would suggest that you do not resist," he said. He was calm and composed, reflecting the confidence he had in his power to deal with any resistance I or anyone else would put up. On that note, I recalled an important detail.
"What about the ANBU guarding me?"
"They have been dealt with appropriately," came the smooth answer.
Considering the fact that this person was from the Akatsuki, I assumed that he had killed the ANBU. A chill ran down my spine as another fact raced through my mind - this man was the Uchiha who had slaughtered his entire clan for power. I was a mere foot from a cold hearted man who would not hesitate to cut me down if he wished to. But, oddly enough, I did not get the vibe of a murderer from him - his aura was almost gentle.
My thoughts then shifted to what this man had said about Madara. I wondered if it was really possible for Madara to be alive after more than a hundred years of him actual time period. Had he perhaps used some jutsu to prolong his life? Or was he an old man now? Did he still have the intensity of power that he had a hundred years ago? What was he like now? What did he think of me? What would I say to him when I met him?
"We should leave now," Itachi san said, breaking me from my thoughts and contemplation.
It occurred to me that protesting in any way would be futile. Besides, if Madara really was alive, I wanted to see him. I knew in the back of my mind that Madara being alive wasn't really possible and surely there was something strange here, yet I could only be wishful and hopeful, my heart beating fast and my mind anticipating. With a deep breath, I moved the blanket off of myself and got off the bed.
"Alright, but just give me a minute," I said to Itachi san and headed into the bathroom to change out of my night clothes and into a t-shirt and trousers. I also packed a small bag with two more sets of clothes, my accessories from my world including my cell phone, and a couple of other trinkets I had in my possession.
Itachi san had been waiting patiently for me and met my gaze when I approached him. Surely he was surprised that I was looking into his Sharingan without hesitance - no one who knew of its prowess would do so. However, I knew that simply looking away from the Sharingan would not spare one from its influence, so there was no advantage in looking away. Besides, I was important and would not be treated roughly. At least I hoped.
"We can go now," I said to Itachi san.
I glanced a moment at the door of the room, for I knew that we would be leaving through the window, the grill of which had been taken care of by Itachi san. I felt guilty for going with a member of the Akatsuki instead of alerting Tsunade and the others, for I felt like I was betraying their trust in me. But I could not stay here when there was a possibility that I could see Madara again.
I'm sorry, Tsunade, I thought and looked back at Itachi san.
"Then, please excuse me," he said before picking me up in his arms and sprinting out of the room and on the rooftops to exit the village. Just before we were outside though, he spoke, "You are to keep the matter of Uchiha Madara a secret for now, for only a few members know of his existence and identity in the Akatsuki at the moment."
"I understand," I answered, glancing at him sideways as I held onto him around the neck and shoulders.
Itachi san was quick to leave the village then and sprint through the trees at quite a pace. We came to a stop quicker than I had thought we would and Itachi san put me down in the middle of a clearing in the forest.
"Oh? You've returned quite soon Itachi san." The voice I heard had me turning around to meet the beady eyes of a tall man with blue skin, a smirk upon his shark-like face. He wore a cloak similar to that of Itachi san's but carried an enormous sword wrapped in bandages. He too wore a scratched forehead protector but the symbol on the metal part was different than that of Konoha - he was a rogue from the Hidden Mist Village.
He was much taller than Itachi san, towering over me, and I felt the slightest nervous when he approached me and bent to my level so he could get a closer look at my face. I shifted back a little, uncomfortable, but he did not care for it as he continued to observe me.
"Hmm, you're a lot prettier than I had imagined," he mused. Then straightening, he said, "I'm Hoshigaki Kisame from the Hidden Mist Village. It's nice to meet you, Tetsu Sara san."
"Oh, um, it's nice to meet you too, Kisame san," I returned the greeting.
"Well, aren't you fearless? Don't you know who we are?" he asked, sounding amused.
"I do, but I don't see much of a reason to be afraid. I mean, you want my chakra, so you won't hurt me, right?" I said.
"You're smart. I like you already! And I'm sure our journey isn't going to be anything bothersome because you won't be whiny."
I regarded him with an awkward smile, unsure of how to respond to his words. I was spared from speaking anything more with him when Itachi san ushered is to get moving so we could put a good amount of distance between us and Konoha by morning, by the time it was noticed that I was missing.
I was glad that we traveled by foot, with me walking between the two Akatsuki members. The journey was surprisingly pleasant. Itachi san rarely spoke, seeming to be the silent type, while Kisame san was quite friendly. He spoke mostly about the facts that he had read about and asked me if they were true, and also asked me about myself in general. He was quite intrigued by my cell phone and couldn't stop looking through my gallery until Itachi san said that he had pestered me enough.
It was afternoon by the time we stopped walking, though we had taken two breaks in between to eat and rest a little. Itachi san placed a hand on a big boulder on the side of the cliff we had stopped next to and made a hand sign with his other hand. The boulder disappeared to reveal the entrance to a cave, the tunnel leading inside dark and dreary.
"Come," said Itachi san and stepped inside first. Kisame san waited for me to follow Itachi san before he entered behind me - I assumed it was to ensure that I did not try to escape in the last minute.
With a deep inhale, I clutched the strap of my bag tightly, my heart pounding in my ears. I was more than nervous at the thought of seeing Madara again, for more than just the reason that it had been so long since I had seen him. I did not know what emotion I could expect from him. However, a feeling in the pit of my stomach made me think that I was not going to see Madara - I mean, I could not really sense his chakra despite being one who would have been able to from a good distance away. There was no way I would not recognize his presence if he was in this cave.
It was in a few minutes that we stopped outside the doors of an inner room. Stalling a moment, Itachi san looked to Kisame san and spoke, "Kisame, you can meet up with Hidan and Kakuzu. I will speak with Leader sama and join you."
"As you say, Itachi san," Kisame san said. Glancing at me next, he said, "It was nice taking to you, Sara san."
"Likewise, Kisame san," I replied with a smile.
After he left, Itachi san and I entered the room and I spotted three people there - two men and a woman. One of the men hid his face behind an orange, single-eyehole mask while the other had multiple piercings all over his face and possessed purple ringed eyes - the Rinnegan. The woman was beautiful, her expression serene, her eyes soft, and I noticed a beautifully made origami rose adorning her lavender hair.
"You have come, Tetsu Sara," spoke the man with the piercings. His voice was deep and authoritative, and oddly unsettling as well. I said nothing in response to his statement and he approached me. "I am Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki."
"Um, it's nice to meet you?" I more so asked.
His eyes narrowed in the slightest as he looked down on me, as if he was gazing into my very soul. It was uncomfortable and had me averting my eyes.
"Now that you are in the Akatsuki's custody, our plans will progress much more smoothly." Goose umps rose on my arms upon hearing Madara's voice. My eyes were immediately on the man with the mask, for I knew that it was he who had spoken. Despite the voice being the same, a rather perfect reproduction, he was not Madara. He was not the Uchiha Madara I knew and fell in love with and spent my days with. Madara's build was different, more muscular, more handsome, and he was the slightest taller, and his chakra was very different.
"Madara sama," spoke Pain san, looking at him, "what arrangements shall I make for her?"
"For now, she will remain here. I will decide what to do about her soon, in the matters of our plans," spoke the masked man.
"Very well," Pain san agreed. He looked to the woman next. "Konan, take care of making arrangements for Sara's stay. I will take care of-"
"Excuse me," I interrupted and all eyes were on me, "I want to speak with Madara alone for a minute, if that's alright."
The three besides the masked man seemed mildly surprised by the casual way I had addressed their true leader, and perhaps the masked man was surprised too, but I could not tell because his face was not visible. Pain san glanced at the masked man a moment and the latter nodded.
"We will be in the meeting room," Pain san said and left with Konan san and Itachi san.
When we were alone with no one to eavesdrop, the masked man spoke, yet again in Madara's voice, "What is it you wished to speak with me about, Sara?"
Clenching my fists, I asked, "Who are you?"
"I am hurt you ask such a question, Sara," he said.
"You don't have to put up an act. I could sense Madara from a mile away by his chakra and mere presence, and I can tell very easily that you are not him even if you are pretending to be," I said sharply. "So, don't bother trying to hide the truth of your identity from me."
"Oh? If this is a way to rebel-"
"It is not rebelling. We both know that you are not Uchiha Madara," I said firmly again. "Tell me who you really are. If you don't, I don't care what you do to me, I will not cooperate in anything, let alone give you an ounce of my chakra."
I clenched my jaw, tense under the icy atmosphere in the room as well as the sight of the Sharingan that I could see through the hole of the mask. I held my ground despite it being foolish for sure, but I wanted answers.
"I did not expect you would be so bold, or observant," he spoke after silence that seemed to last forever. His voice was different now, an octave higher than Madara's deep baritone that always sent flutters through my stomach. He took off his mask to reveal his true face - the right half was wrinkled with scars from an injury but his Sharingan was intact, while his left eye was closed in blindness. "I am Uchiha Obito."
"I thought there were only two of the Uchiha Clan alive."
"To the world, yes. I have been in hiding though, with the real Uchiha Madara until a few years ago," came the answer.
"Madara was alive until a few years ago, you say? Then he would be well over a hundred years old," I said.
"Yes, he was. His story is for another time though, because I need you to-"
"No, you are going to tell me everything about him right now. I want to know what happened to him and what his plans were and are or whatever you are doing using his identity," I cut him off. "Anything of your plans comes later."
Obito san narrowed his eyes at my demand but agreed to give me the answers I wanted before I listened to his plans for me.
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How bold of you, Sara, to be so ruthless with Obito XD he's probably super surprised about it, and maybe the slightest embarrassed for being cut off like that. But Sara has dealt with the real Madara himself, so an impersonation of him doesn't faze her at all, it seems.
Anyway, since she has demanded Obito to tell her everything about Madara and what their big plans are, I wonder how she's going to react. But let's see what Obito has to say about Sara first, shall we? ;)
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