𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐘𝐎𝐔.

Chapter XXXI - Chakra (𝘾𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙍𝙔 𝘽𝙇𝙊𝙎𝙎𝙊𝙈 𝙁𝙀𝙎𝙏𝙄𝙑𝘼𝙇)

"Cha..chakra?"

The man stared at her, expecting some sort of response that her mouth was no longer able to deliver. Her brows knitted together, as she wracked her brain for something-- something that could get her out of this. What if she'd said yes? Or worse-- what if she said no?

That's it!

"A-as in, Tantra chakra? The belief that there are energy points within a human body.. that each point has its own purpose?"

The man smirked, a light chuckle escaping his lips as he ran a hand through his hair. He stared at the dark ceiling - that Sakura just now realized was concrete - for just a moment, before looking down at her and shaking his head.

"Although that is true, it is not just a belief, my dear. It exists within all of humanity; whether it be a remnant or in its full form." 

Sakura stared, her eyes narrowing slightly out of pure habit, as if she was trying to search the depths of this mans soul-- which she was, before something snapped in her mind.

"..you believe that I possess chakra?"

The dark-haired males smirk only grew, before he laughed, a loud, boisterous laugh that was only filled with evil, not a trace of good-heartedness, before his eyes opened, almost looking red, before he responded.

"I do not believe, Haruno Sakura. I know."

- - - - -

Where in the gods name is she?

Sasuke clenched the small earring in his fist as he slid past all the couples and families littering the pathway. He had been circling the area the entire time, waiting for Naruto to get his dumbass to where he'd been asked to go, because something was seriously wrong. 

The thing was, really, that Sasuke actually had no proof that anything was wrong at all-- but he just had a gut feeling that something really was, and he couldn't just sit still and let things happen-- he just couldn't.

"Oi, Sasuke-teme!"

He sighed, glancing in the direction of the voice's source, his eyes landing on a blond head of hair, followed by another, even darker head of hair, which he realized was Shikamaru-- someone who could have probably figured something out even if he wasn't trying.

Was Naruto really an idiot, anyway? 

He shook his head, waving them over as he let his eyes sweep over the area again, just in case something would appear. 

Nothing did.

The blonde and taller raven (is it weird that i never knew that shikamaru was taller than sasuke?) stopped in their tracks upon seeing the Uchiha's odd expression, each one had a brow raised in suspicion.

"..teme, are you--"

"Sakura. She's gone, and hasn't been responding to any of my calls."

Naruto stared.

Shikamaru stared.

Before the two bursted into laughter.

It was more Naruto than Shikamaru, but still, it was pretty funny seeing Sasuke so worried over someone. Sasuke, stared, mouth agape, before frustration seeped into his expression as he clenched his fists.

"Don't you get it?! Sakura's--"

His phone buzzed, and he practically flung it out of his robe as he turned it on, his brows knitting together as he stared at the message on the screen;

Sorry, Sasuke-kun. I must have pressed the wrong button. I had to leave a little early. Something came up. Sorry for not telling you. 

He stared for a few moments, the confusion on his expression registering in both the Nara and Uzumaki's minds, before the genius sighed.

"..is that Sakura?"

Sasuke looked up, nodding unsurely.

The reason was-- he hadn't noticed it until after he'd read it a few times, really, but since when had Sakura ever used an honorific like that to address him? Not only that, but she'd always texted him without using capitals, and even if neither of those were obvious pointers, since when would she have ever said sorry?

He clenched the earring in his fist tightly, almost tight enough to shatter the small red sphere.

And that as when something caught his eye--a door. A metal door leading to a concrete building that was concealed by the hundreds of booths surrounding it.

He glanced at his phone, the location she'd sent catching his eye.

It wasn't the booth he'd gone to.

Rather, it was what was under it.

Of course, he hadn't known that yet.

- - - - - 

"The prospect of chakra was founded hundreds of years ago, when Kaguya Otsutsuki ate the storage of strength. She gained power over humanity and decided to rule on her own. In her time as ruler, she birthed two sons, who went against her and defeated her, encasing her in the pile of rubble that we call the moon."

Sakura had barely taken in any of that information, she'd been in her own world--but the moon had someone inside? How completely mental was this man?

"Years later, the goddess escaped thanks to the aide of those who worshipped her ways of peace."

She continued to stare.

"The strongest of warriors used their abilities to defeat this goddess again; a man who carried a demon within him, a man with the strongest eyes, and a woman who could destroy the very earth we stand on."

She couldn't understand a word of what he was saying--he must have been out of his mind. Demons? Eyes? What did he mean by destroy the very earth we stand on?

"The world lived in peace afterward, until that era died and a new one was formed--ours. This world has never lived in peace. However, things are changing. It seems there are reincarnations of those people who saved the world, and they are appearing day by day." 

"We believe you are one of those reincarnations--but it seems you haven't achieved the chakra you should have. Perhaps it hasn't awakened yet."

She continued to stare, rage building within her. Why in the hell would some psycho with a gun come here to tell her some silly fairytale? Who the hell did he think he was? 

"Maybe we should awaken it for you."

\ / \ / \ /

can i call this an arc or something???

the cherry blossom arc.

yes? no? 

i've just noticed how long i'm making this festival crap but it's fun to write.

next chapter has some very interesting topics, including some plot leverage.

i hope you enjoyed!!!