They used to say the world was flat, no how wrong was that..
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It was dark. A starry night sky hung above my head and trees were scattered all around the place. In a distance, I can see a vast horizon filled with vegetation. I don't where I am and yet it feels like I was meant to go somewhere.
I walked ahead. My feet are practically dragging me towards the opening. At some point in time, the trees parted and shuffled, making two paths diverge out of nowhere.
Suddenly, the voice called me again.
If you had a chance, where do you want to go?
If I had a chance. I took in a deep breath and ignored the evil laughter brewing inside of my head. Something demonic resides in there and I wouldn't dare be afraid of it. It was taunting me, mocking my ability to voice out my true desires. But that part doesn't know the other half of who I am.
"If I had a chance, I wouldn't go anywhere without Sasuke Uchiha."
And that's true. In my heart, I know it is. Sasuke became a part of me. A fraction completing a whole. A piece of a puzzle. Ever since that boy came into my life, things in me changed.
Silence, and then,
If that is what you want.
I smiled bitterly as a force pulled me back to were I previously was. I fluttered my eyes open and nearly gasped when obsidian orbs met my green eyes. Mixed emotions were so vivid in those depths.. It almost scared me. Sasuke. I weakly raised my hand and placed it on the side of his crestfallen face.
"Sakura,"
"You came back.."
"What's happening to you?"
He delicately helped me sat up. His eyes were darted away from mine. I immediately knew the reason why he's behaving so oddly the moment I saw a glimpse of my hands. Frantic, I pulled the hem of my pyjamas and froze. My skin was black, save for the few bare areas on my legs and feet.
I turned to Sasuke who looked as though sparing me a glimpse would be the most painful thing to do.
"S-Sasuke---"
"Stop hiding things from me, Sakura.. Dammit! How long are you planning to keep me ignorant to what's really happening here?!"
We sat there, staring at each other for a good couple of minutes when I finally gave up. Heaving a long, exasperated sigh, I managed to mutter,
"This.." I gestured to my unnatural skin pigment, "..is like a timer. In the notice, i-it was mentioned. If we---I can't find what's need to be found before the black devours my whole body, I-I'll.."
I don't need to finish that statement. We both know the answer to that. It's either we get out of this messed up time-warp alive, or die.
I was surprised when Sasuke Uchiha suddenly hugged me. His arms wrapping around my fragile figure as if he wouldn't dare let me go. He was shaking. So un-Sasuke like if you ask me. But nevertheless, it brought a sting to my heart.
Sometimes silence is enough. Not saying anything at all is better than the words itself. I know that.. Sasuke knows that.
Then, the ground started shuffling once more. Things were getting blurry as we both struggled to stand up. Our surroundings were changing again. A new scene in front of us, waiting to be discovered. Who knew visiting your past is much more terrible than most people thought it would be?
"Well, I guess it's us against the world now, Sakura."
I smiled and felt Sasuke squeeze my hand tighter; knowing he wouldn't leave my side no matter what. Honestly, I can't imagine myself without him. Things aren't what they suppose to be, but sharing a life with this man seems tempeting enough to try and risk it all.
"Yeah."
And with that, we both moved forward; ready to face anything.
--
When the objects around us stopped moving, we finally realized were my twisted memory brought us this time.
"Who are you talking to?"
A voice from up the tree bellowed as the breeze blew the leaves of trees. I saw myself, furrowing her eyebrows right before a raven-haired man jumped down from a branch in front of her.
I knew this memory. I stole a knowing glance at Sasuke. He had this puzzled look on his face, almost reflecting mine. For a moment, I know what he's thinking.
We silently watched the events unfold infront of us. It's like having your head on replay.
"Well, surely I wasn't talking to you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some pebbles to count."
"You always were that little stubborn brat." I rolled my eyes and playfully nudged my boyfriend. If this is his lame attempt at making the situation lighter, then it certainly isn't working.
"Yeah, and you were that despicable and arrogant prat----"
"Your handsome, despicable and arrogant prat, Miss Haruno." Sasuke gave me that charming smile. The one which he always got things away with. I was about to counter a witty response when the other Sasuke--the past one--spoke,
"You're weird!"
And that's when the memory stopped. Are we suppose to notice something here?
"Why the heck are we in this part of your past anyway? It's not like there's something wrong with our first encounter, is there?"
I shrugged. He just voiced out my concern about this memory. Why? But then again, a part of me screams that meeting Sasuke Uchiha was an unspoken sin. He's everything I never had. Yet again, why? Damn. I know, it's confusing.
"S-Sakura.."
"Hmm?" Sasuke's call pulled me out of my thoughts. He was staring at me with ..is that fear?
A confused expression graced my features. "What's the matter?"
He took in a deep breath and cupped my face. His eyes met mine.
"O-Our time's almost up.." He said that in a weak voice, barely just above a whisper. A few seconds more, I finally understood what he said. I reckon my face looks horrible now. Imagining my whole skin tinted black from head to toe scares me more than anything else at this moment. Because once that happens, I'm as good as dead.
And maybe that's the reason why I couldn't help my tears from falling.
Fuck my life..
"Sakura,"
"I-I'm scared, Sasuke."
He tensed. Of all people, this man knows I hate showing other people my vulnerable side. Eversince my junior year, I started shutting people out of my life. If you don't invest anything with anyone, you don't have to worry about all the drama. That's what I believed in. That's what crumbled down when Sasuke Uchiha suddenly waltz in my messed up life without a warning.
It was in that moment had Sasuke chose to stay silent. We both know words can't do anything right now. They're as useless as brains in a situation like this.
He leaned down for a kiss.
I closed my eyes and let the tears streak down my cheeks.
Our lips made contact, but only for a split second.
What came next was unimaginable.
"GAAAAH!"
"Sasuke!"
He knelt down, screaming in pain. He had his hands on his head. I can almost see black veins popping out of his skin. Panic rose into my chest as I tried to calm him down. What the hell is happening to him?!
"Sasuke, shh.. C-Come on, tell me what's happening to you?!"
Foolish girl.
I froze on the spot. That voice.. That's the same voice I keep hearing inside my head. But why does it sound nearer? This can't be.
"What can't be, Haruno?"
Tensed, I spun around and saw a cloaked man standing with his hood on. Black cloth covering his face, save for that awfully familiar mouth that twisted into a sneer.
"W-Who are you..?"
"Missed me?"
He drew out a katana.
Shit. This is the man who killed me. I felt my whole body shivering with the way he clutched the sword. Sasuke was beside me, stiffly staring at this stranger. There's an unreadable look in Sasuke's eyes.. I wonder what's he thinking?
"Y-You... Why are you here?! Are you gonna kill me again, huh?!"
He smirked and something about it made my heart shatter in a million pieces.
"You should've known better than to trust a hybrid."
What?
His words rang in my head as my eyes followed his hands, which inched to pull his hood down. But when he did, a wave of emotion plunged through me in an instant. My are widened as I stepped backwards.
No..
Why..?
Why does he look exactly like Sasuke Uchiha?
I must be hallucinating! That's it.. This can't be happening.. H-He killed me, for pete's sake!
"Sa..Sasuke,"
I glanced at my boyfriend who sat frigid on the floor. He looked shocked and confused; his fists were closed tightly. What the hell is happening here?
The cloaked man, who happens to look like the one I love, mused at our expressions. He then started,
"I'm the one who wants you dead, you idiotic mortal. Haven't you ever wondered why you cannot see your little lover boy's future? Do you really think he's normal?"
The scene around us wooshed like the wind; as if we were caught inside a storm. Moments later, I realized my past brought us back to that one night when it all happend. The night I was killed.
The cloaked man continued,
"Sakura Haruno.. Once every two hundred years, a maiden will be born with an unusual ability to forsee future events. A gift, and a curse combined into one soul. The only glitch in father time's clockwork. You see, my job is to dispose of these maidens in order to maintain the balance of our universe... So I have to be reincarnated into a human vessel every century."
I glanced at Sasuke. He was standing right next to me, but his full attention was on his mirror-image. Sasuke. He took this man's vessel..
"Yes. Just as you thought.. But the problem is, I only resurface when this boy is unconscious.. Why? Because, I am the darker side of him. He is born as my hybrid, afterall. He is only half-mortal."
"If that's the case then why are we here?! You killed me! You pierced that katana through my chest."
At this, a nasty scowl emerged from his face.
"Well dear, certain circumstances prevent me to. First, yes.. I did manage to kill you. But then again, something far more powerful than fate is pulling strings at the wrong end of my game. Heart's time is siding with goodness this time.. That's why I only managed to pull you into the time-warp. Unfornately, I had Sasuke commit suicide to be able to get into this place too. I even had to alter his conscious memory into thinking someone attacked him instead.."
"Sakura.."
I felt Sasuke held onto my hand. At first, I flinched but when I saw the look in his eyes, I calmed down. A warmth was seeping through my skin, making me feel a bit lighter.
The man held a hand to his chest and frowned.
"This is the problem.. It's a shame your own body isn't fast enough to decay in this time-warp. Well, it will only be a matter of time until that blackening engulfs you..but still, I cannot wait any longer."
I thought he was going to jump in and slash me with the blade or something..but my blood run cold when I saw myself on the bed only a few feet away from where we stood. The cloaked Sasuke pulled his hood back on and advanced towards my memory self.
Reliving the moments before I was killed that night.
His voice reverberated into my head once again..
Having you vulnerable in your memory without consciousness will end this.
W-What do you mean?
It means.. If I kill you for the second time around, you will cease to exist for another two hundred years or so. Good bye, Miss Haruno.
Tears formed in my eyes again. I wanted to scream, to alert my sleeping figure from the upcoming danger but no to avail. My mouth went dry and there was suddenly a lump in my throat.
So, this is who I am..
A mere memory. In a few seconds, I have to endure seeing myself get slaughtered by an immortal who was reincarnated into my boyfriend's body. That why I wasn't able to predict Sasuke's future. He wasn't a full blooded human to begin with! I glanced at my blackened arms. The carved word "fata" was still on my left. Is this what fate has in store for me? For us? Now, I'll never have the chance to live a life with this amazing man.
Both our futures are doomed.
There's no use in fighting anymore. This is it. This is the inevitable.
My eyes darted to Sasuke.
I smiled weakly.
"Am I really weird?"
But to my surprise and relief, he managed to smile back. A sad look on his eyes.
"You're not weird..you're just unique, Sakura."
And with that, he leaned down and kissed my lips quickly before pulling away and jolting out of sight. I gasped when Sasuke suddenly jumped into the scene from my memory and before his evil counterside could piece the katana through my heart, he blocked the way.
No..
He stared at me with a loving expression. He mouthed the words 'I love you' before closing his eyes.
My body felt numb. No words came out of my mouth.. Until I then felt a warm sensation seeping through my chest. My heart stopped beating for a moment, only to triple it's pace in the next.
For the cursed gift lies beneath the soul,
Thou should seek for time's heart..
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