Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Sacrifice ❯ The Gift ( Chapter 12 )

Chapter Twelve: The Gift

 

“Sakura! Sakura, where are you going?” Toki cried, spotting her from behind another hut. “Sakura!”

She turned around, a strange, determined expression on her face. “Oh, sorry. I didn't hear you.”

Toki ignored her apology. “What's wrong? Where are you going?”

“I need to go.”

“You still haven't answered my first question! Sakura, what's wrong. You look so…you look like you've aged overnight.”

True enough, there was an edge to Sakura's normally vulnerable eyes, and though there weren't any wrinkles on her young face, her mouth was set thin and straight. “I feel older,” she confessed, “But only because I know I can't stay any longer.”

“What do you mean? I'd be glad to let you stay…”

“It's not that! I know you'd let me stay, and I'd really love to, but please, don't make me stay, I'm already killing myself as it is.” There was a desperate strain in her voice, and her eyes were sorrowful and pleading.

“But Sakura I—” Toki was worried, curious, and felt strangely like an older sister or a best friend, even though the two of them had only known each other for about two or three days.

“Toki, please!” Sakura's voice, so close to cracking, broke Toki's heart. “Don't make it harder for me.”

Toki just stood there, staring at the ground, and presently Sakura realized that she was crying. “Oh, Toki—”

“What will you do, Sakura?”

“I—oh, I—uh, I just have to go find my friends…”

But the older girl knew what she was planning the second she looked away. “Be careful, Sakura.” She said softly, wiping away her tears. “You're a good girl, and I don't want you to get hurt. But…I know I can't stop you. You've already made your decision, right?”

Sakura nodded numbly, and she couldn't bear looking at Toki, who was obviously grief-stricken. “Yes, I have.”

Toki grasped Sakura by the shoulders, eyes blazing with an unknown emotion. “Good luck Sakura. You're a brave girl. If only I had half the courage you did now back then.” Her eyes brimmed over again. “I hope you find peace.”

Sakura couldn't take it. “Thank you, Toki.” She sobbed, and both girls collapsed in each other's arms, crying their hearts out. Finally, Sakura pulled away, sniffling. “Thank you, so much, for your guidance, for being there. I'll miss you.”

“I'll miss you more—oh, but before you go, I have something to give you.”

“Oh, no, you really don't have to—”

“Yes, I know that, but I want to.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pendant. It was exquisite and delicately made, hung on a thin silver chain. The base of the pendant was in the shape of a dragon, also made of silver, with rubies for eyes and ivory teeth, diamond studded claws. It was flat, but the claws jutted out, holding a glass-like pearl between them. But when the pendant itself touched Toki's bare skin, Sakura realized it wasn't a pearl at all, just a glass sphere—it was now glowing blue. Toki whispered an incantation over it, and the sphere turned a milky white again. “This is a magical item, passed down in my family, which is really saying something, since we live for so long…but anyway, it has two different side and three different settings. This side is the emotion, personal side.” She turned it over. There, in silver again, was a goddess, with long hair flowing to match the shape of the dragon on the other side. Her eyes were opal, there were diamond chips woven into her hair, and her clothes sported topaz and other precious stones. It was a beautiful figure, and certainly worth a lot. She was also holding something in her hands, but it was a mirror. It was currently clear and was just like a normal mirror, but Sakura somehow knew it wasn't.

“You can speak to it, like this;” Toki whispered quietly to the goddess, but it was loud enough so Sakura could hear. “Goddess, show Sasuke Uchiha.” Something like mist crept over the surface of the mirror, but just as suddenly, the mist cleared, and there was Sasuke; obviously in miniature, but it was him. “He's rather handsome, Sakura.” Toki said, smiling. “You can make the picture bigger, too…Goddess, project into air.” The picture shook for a moment, then slowly separated itself from the mirror, then hovered over the surface, and finally expanded and projected itself into air. Sakura could now clearly see Sasuke, and he was talking, frowning, and arguing. She had never seen him so worked up. She wondered what was the matter. “You can add sound, too. Goddess, turn the sound on. Louder. Louder.”

“Kira, how many times have I told you, we have to get going. We have to find Sakura.” Sakura started. Sasuke's voice was so clear, so crisp, it was like he was right in front of her. But who was Kira? Whoever it was, she must have said something, because Sasuke's face clouded over. “I'm not a possession.” He said quietly, eyes burning. “You can't make me someone that you can just boss around. And if you won't go, I'll go myself.”

Toki said softly, “Goddess, enough.” The picture vanished, and Sakura realized that she had been inching forward, almost close enough, and wished she could have gone through and touched him again.

“You know, that picture can become a portal. Just tell the goddess what you want, and she'll do the best for you. There is, however, one more setting…”

Toki traced her index finger slightly around the outline of the mirror, saying softly, “Goddess, reveal your sister.” The silver suddenly darkened, blackening, not rusting, just transforming. It was now made of smooth black obsidian, but the edges were not sharp, but were blunted, and the eyes were no longer made of opal, but were made of some bright yellow stone tinted with strains of red, and the expression on the goddess's face had changed. It was now almost evil, smirking, and woven in her hair were blood-red stones, and her robes seemed windswept and the lines were highlighted with silver and gold. In between her hands she held a wooden staff, twisted and old, and at the top was a piece of bright, clear crystal. It was encased in more twisted wood, and seemed very formidable.

“You see, this goddess is very good at defense and offense. For example…” Toki once again held it up to her lips and whispered softly, “Goddess, I need secrecy…I need invisibility.” Toki disappeared.

“Toki!” Sakura cried, looking all about her.

“Sakura!” Toki's voice came from the spot she had disappeared from. “I haven't moved, I'm still right here. Goddess, enough.” Toki reappeared, smiling broadly. “You can make your voice and any sounds you make undetectable to others. I just chose not to, since I didn't want to scare you.”

“It works on people, right?”

“No, it works on any living thing. Keep that in mind, since there could be motion-detectors or trip wires, and you will have no effect on those whatsoever.”

“So this necklace is like being invincible?”

“Yes. I'm only giving this to you because I trust you.” Toki examined her carefully. “Goddess, turn on warning system.” The staff's crystal glowed bright red, then returned to its usual shade. “Whenever a threatening force comes within a ten mile's radius of you, it will glow bright red, and you will feel it beating on your chest like a heartbeat. The fastest the heartbeat is where you are facing, that is where your enemy is. It doesn't matter which setting you're on; it will change of its own accord.”

“But I'll be traveling, Toki. Won't it break?”

In answer, Toki raised an eyebrow and dropped it. Horrified, Sakura watched it fall, but as it came close to the hard stone ground, the air around it shimmered, and it hovered slightly above the ground before lowering itself gently on it. “This is a very magical item, Sakura, not even death can destroy it. In fact, in death is when it's most useful.” Toki winked. “I can't tell you what it is, since if I tell the secret to an outsider, I will die immediately. And even though I love you, I don't think my time has come yet.”

“Oh, no, of course not!”

“But for your own sake, I do hope you find it out.” Toki frowned for a moment, then her mood lightened considerably. “You've got this all figured out, haven't you?”

“Not quite. I think I'll play with it for a while before I go.” She said, then after a moment's pause, she threw herself at Toki and gave her a bone-crushing hug. She let go just as quickly and sniffed. “I'll miss you so much, Toki. Thank you so much for this wonderful gift. I'll miss you terribly.”

Toki sniffled. “Me too, Sakura. Oh! By the way, you can make it into a bracelet or ring if you like—for traveling purposes. You can tell the goddess to transform it and when you want, you can switch the sides. Look…”

In a matter of seconds, the pendant was a ring, and it fit snugly on Sakura's finger. “It won't fall off, don't worry. You're its new owner, and it wouldn't come off unless you really needed it to. Good luck Sakura.” She said, and smiled tearfully.

The girls shared one last embrace, and then Sakura set off, once more towards Hell, this time much better prepared than when she had gone in. She turned one last time towards her friend, and found that she had transformed into an old lady again. She smiled and blew a kiss, turned back around, and this time, she didn't even spare a second glance.

 

 

“What?” Sasuke was horrified. He knew she was obsessive, but this was a whole new level. “You can't force me to do anything!”

“Yes, I can. If you ever want to see your precious Sakura again, you're going to do anything I say.” Kira's eyes flashed defiantly, her voice as sharp as a knife.

“What do you mean by that?” Sasuke said, suddenly wary.

Kira smirked. “Exactly what it sounds like, sweetie. Iki-chan here knows exactly how to get to Itachi's lair and how exactly to get in.” Kira narrowed her eyes. “And I'm not going to tell you unless you cooperate with me. You're my boyfriend, got that?”

“No, Kira. I don't care what you do or say, and I really don't care where you go, as long as you're not in my way. I don't know you anymore, Kira. What have you become?”

“Time away from you has changed me, Sasuke.” She breathed, eyes glazed with pain. “I need you with me. And I'm certainly not going to lose you to some pink-haired bubble.”

“Kira—” he sighed, raking his hand through his hair, “this is all a big misunderstanding…I'm not saving her because I love her. I'm saving her because I promised.”

“Who cares about promises, Sasu-kun? We're together now, and that's all that matters, right?” Kira smiled dreamily. “We're together, Sasuke. Let's have some tea…”

Sasuke frowned perplexedly. “Kira, how many times have I told you, we have to get going. We have to find Sakura.”

Kira reacted furiously. “No! You won't dare go, you're mine, Sasuke, only mine, and she can't have you! You need me to go with you! And I won't go!”

Sasuke was at his wit's end. He had simply run out of patience. He didn't want to waste his breath shouting at her, so he spoke softly, with the same effect. He could feel himself frowning, anger building up inside him. “I'm not a possession. You can't make me someone you can just boss around. And if you won't go, I'll go myself.”

Sensing how serious he was, her eyes widened. “You're serious.”

“As I'll ever be.” Sasuke somehow materialized his bag from somewhere. Last night, he had packed his things. He had already known who she was then, and he knew he would have to leave. She would never let him go. Sasuke always planned ahead. It was simply something he always did. He slung his pack over his shoulder. “I'm leaving, Kira. You can come if you like. I'd be glad to have your help. But if you're not coming, I'm still leaving. Whether or not you come won't really affect me. And unless you come, this is goodbye, Kira.” He turned, and leaving a shocked, raven-haired girl behind him, he left.

 

 

“Move faster, baka!” scowled Shikamaru, glancing back at Naruto. “Stop flirting with Hinata. You're going to infect her with your idiocy.”

“Hey, Shikamaru, look who's talking. You're not that far away from Tenten either.” Naruto hissed, speeding up. Hinata colored, and half-smiled.

“Yeah, well moving away is too much work. In fact, this mission is too much work. Why am I here?”

“Because the Hokage made you.” Naruto said smugly. “And I told her to…”

“Oh, shut up, you two.” Kiba growled, his dog following suit. “We're almost there, and you don't want to be discovered now. Especially because we have so many people…”

“That's okay! The good guys will always prevail!” Rock Lee grinned, winking.

“That's my boy!” exclaimed Might Guy, tears of joy coming to his eyes.

Kakashi and Jiraiya exchanged exasperated looks. Was that Might Guy ever going to get it? His antics always creeped people out.

“At either rate, we're almost there.” Temari said. “We should split up and search the area.” Anything to get away from that baka, lazy, and two creeps, she thought.

“That's actually a good idea, girl in the fishnet top.” Sai mused, eyes fixed on her. “I didn't think that girls with big boobs actually had brains…” Jiraiya couldn't help but stare at Temari the moment Sai finished his thought.

For a moment, there was silence all around. A second later, Sai and Jiraiya found themselves stuck to a tree by the force of the wind from her fan.

“WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU ---ING BASTARD? I'LL TEACH YOU TO SAY THAT ---- ABOUT ME! YOU LITTLE ----ING PIECE OF ----! AND YOU, YOU PERVERTED OLD MAN! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HELPING US, NOT STARING AT MY BOOBS! YOU ---TY LITTLE ----!”

“Temari, shut up.” Kankuro hissed angrily, eyes darting towards bushes and trees. “Do you want to blow our cover?”

“No, Kankuro.” Gaara whispered, passion and longing in his eyes. “I haven't seen any bloodlust in months, almost a year…let them fight…I want to see blood…”

Shikamaru groaned inwardly. That baka! If Naruto hadn't assembled such a diverse and large group, none of this would be happening! Now he was stuck being the leader, along with a baka, an indifferent Jounin, a perverted Senin, an equally perverted, if not more, artist, a now-barking dog, his owner not much different, a quiet guy with bugs buzzing around his head, a happy-go-lucky hippy, a freaky guy in a jumpsuit, a bloodthirsty sand demon, a majorly pissed off girl with a huge fan, two girls sighing in the background, and a puppeteer who obviously had no control over any of his siblings. Shikamaru rubbed his head. Such work!

 

<Hello everyone! Yes, there is quite a bit of cursing in this chapter, all due to a couple of frayed nerves and a lot of tension from the characters. And, anyway, just to tell you, the end of this fanfiction is coming, slowly but surely, and I am not completely sure whether or not I should continue. I have work to do, and other stuff. If any of you have ideas for other stories that you'd like me to write, I'd be glad to do it so that when the last chapter of Sacrifice of a Lifetime comes out, I can also include the first chapter of whatever other story I'm writing. I've already had one person email me with suggestions and comments. I really appreciate that, and urge everyone to make full use of my email address; misty81093@aol.com, or if email is too slow for you, I am now also releasing my aim screen name; Chaocat13. Feel free to contact me at either one, although I would like you to please not spam them. >.<” Anyway, thanks to sakuraroxs from yahoo.com for some great suggestions! *Sorry I couldn't include them in this chapter, this was written before you emailed me.* So, thank you all once again for sticking by me this long, and I hope to hear from you! Bye for now, Cat.>