My lips quivered as I sat within the darkness. I had given up hope and my freedom. Why? Why did all of this have to happen?
I hadn't left this location since I'd been brought here. Madara had left saying that he had plans to get the RInnegan and although I could've— should've taken that as I chance to escape, Zetsu was still around and there'd be no way to get passed him.
I cursed to myself quietly as I released a soft sigh. I would be a lying coward if I did that anyway. How could I tell Sasuke that I was okay! Maybe I still had to keep some pride... No... I simply just wanted to find a way to smile about this. I didn't want my life to be wasted any longer. I didn't deserve a normal life… I deserved him. Kaguya... was fated to be a demon's bride.
I placed my hand to my stomach and patted it a bit. "Shun..." I smiled a little to myself at the thought of my own child. "I can't wait to see you, can't wait to meet you, Shun-chan." Yeah... he could replace Sasuke as number one in my heart. I laughed to myself, somewhat sickened. Was this all that my life was worth? Was I just meant to serve the Uchiha clan and Akatsuki? If that was the case then I still couldn't help but wish to die.
I closed my eyes and wondered if everyone I thought I loved was turning against me. Kabuto... I couldn't look at him the same way. I closed my eyes and attempted to rid myself of his serpent-like structure. He had infused himself with the monster I hated most when all this time I thought he would at least protect me from him. When I first saw his new form, I couldn't help but think my feelings for him were only shallow. I'd betray our past because of how he looked? When did I become so wretched and disgusting? When did my feelings become so impure?
"Aura-hime, make me a new mask." I lifted my head to see Madara.
I slowly met his new eyes. "What did you have in mind, Ojii-sama?" I voiced calmly.
He grasped my hand and gave me an image. It seemed simple enough and found it to be a good chance to do some work. Quickly, I wandered away from him to get to work.
Unfortunately, preoccupying myself by making Madara a new mask wouldn't last. I had completed the task faster than I'd hoped and left it for him to retrieve on his own.
Although I said I wouldn't escape, I never said that I wouldn't try to stay out of sight. Maybe if I felt that they weren't looking at me, I could pretend that the nightmare all around wasn't reality.
I honestly wished that I could stop all of this on my own. I clenched my hands into fists and bit my already red lips. Truly, I wished to rewrite this reality; it was too much to bare. At times like this, I had Sasori no Danna...
With my overflowing tears, I ran toward the exit with emotion being my reason to move.
"You four will form the ambush and distraction squadron." I heard a familiar voice command as I stepped out of the hideout.
"I see the only ones left are Zetsu and my replacement Tobi... Akatsuki must have gone to hell in a hand basket to be taking orders from such a ragged fool..." That voice... that nostaligic sound. Was I merely dreaming, or did I truly hear who I thought I did? Hesistantly, I walked over.
"You can't be too sure. Aura is with us as well." Madara spoke. Who was he speaking with?
"No! She wouldn't stay here! She should've ran away a long time ago!" The man's voice made my heart race painfully.
"I wouldn't be so arrogant considering you died master True art is beauty that endures eternally... Mmm! Especially when your one weak point is a huge bull's eye in the middle of your chest!!" Another familiar voice spoke. I hadn't heard anyone talk in such a way in so long.
"You wanna die too, Deidara?!" He threatened.
"I am dead! Both of us are dead!" If this was Deidara speaking then...
"Deidara?" I gasped as I ran to them. "Ojii-sama what's going on—" My eyes widened at the sight before me. I approached them. Behind Kabuto stood beings whom I presumed to never see again. "Sasori no Danna." I couldn't help the tears that welled in my eyes. I never thought I could ever see him again. I impulsively embraced him.
"Aura-hime…" His expression softened as I wrapped my arms around him. "I never thought I'd see you again my dearest apprentice."
"Why are you here?" I sniffled as I slowly turned to face Madara and Kabuto. "Why—why did you bring him back?!" I screamed.
"To fight for the war." Kabuto replied.
"No! No! I don't want Sasori no Danna die again!" I cried as tighted my grip on him.
"Hey. Look's like you've gotten fat, mmm!" Deidara teased.
I glared right at him. "That's not it! I—" I slowly turned to Sasori, realizing the reality of the situation. I was with Sasori once more… "I'm pregnant."
His darkened eyes remained unfazed. "So you went back to Itachi's little brother, did you?" He turned his gaze away slightly. I felt my heart begin to break until he gently patted my hair.
I sniffled as I burried my face into his cloak. "What other choice did I have? You broke your promise to me and left me without a purpose."
"I'm sorry, Aura-hime but I didn't want you as I weapon." He whispered. "I loved you and that's why I wanted you to keep on living. I knew that you had and entire future waiting for you." My eyes widened at his words and he stroked my stomach and looked at me with a softened expression.
"Onii-sama!" I turned to Kabuto. "I beg of you. Please don't send him out there." I cried. "Please.” My tears fell like rain, nourishing the earth.
"Forgive me, Aura-hime, but I'm afraid I cannot listen to your request." He turned to the rest of the revived beings. "Follow my orders and go."
Sasori then released me. "Farewell, Aura-hime."
"No!" I cried as I grasped him once more. I pulled myself up and kissed his lips, it tasted of ash but I didn't care. He— Sasori was still my savior. He... he really loved me! "I love you. I—"
"You loved me." He corrected as he kissed my forehead. "And I loved you too. You, my dearest Aura, were the finest, most breathtaking work of art I had ever laid my eyes upon."
"You- you made me this way. Without you, I'd be nothing." I whimpered.
He placed my hand over his soundless chest. "We'll see each other again... someday."
"Maybe... maybe if we were to be reincarnated we could be together." I forced a smile through my warm tears.
"No. If you see me in that world, run away, run as far away as you can until you reach that other person who you're destined to be with because it won't be me. Even if we get reincarnated a thousand times over, your prince... will never be me." My heart stopped at his harsh words. "I was waiting for you to grow up but I guess I missed my chance for you turned from an innocent child into a beautiful woman without my noticing."
"Kill me." I pleaded wishfully. Sasori was the only one who hadn't intentionally inflicted pain upon me. "I wanted so much to be meant for you, so don't say that!" I cried. He was my first love and I didn’t want him to return the part of my heart he had held.
He grasped my left hand, seeing that I no longer wore his ring but instead an engagement ring. "I don't like to wait or keep others waiting, you know that my apprentice so you shouldn't do the same to your husband. You've always been free to make the decision but back then I took the liberty of freeing you with my command. You were never a marionette, so please, live life the way that your heart desires, free from the puppet master's hold." He smiled sadly then pressed his lips against mine. "This will be the last time, my beloved princess."
I began to sob once more as I fell to my knees and he flew off toward war. Madara was right. War was Hell and I had lost my Heaven.
When I finally got a hold of myself, I walked back inside to see Sasuke. He was sitting down with an anxious look on his face. "Is it time yet?" He questioned impatiently.
"Not yet… be patient." The black Zetsu commanded.
"The next time you open your eyes, you'll be seeing a whole new world. Things are getting really fun." The white agreed.
I slammed the door and sat in the corner, the furthest away I could from them. "Aura?" He questioned.
"Is something wrong, Princess?" The white inquired.
I glared right at him. "Yes! This world!" I growled. "I hate being the princess. Why? Why couldn't I have just died like I planned!" The fury in my voice was more than evident. "Instead of living here in this wretched world, I should've died, wandering the afterlife in peace!"
"Aura, why are you being like this?!" Sasuke questioned as he stood.
"This blood, this curse, the very red thread of fate that binds us runs through our veins... I hate all of it!" I spat, disgusted.
He made his way toward me. "Did something happen?"
"Yes! I lost the most influential person in my life a second time... I saw Sasori no Danna again…”I cried.
Sasuke ran at me and shoved me against the wall. "I told you I had no intention of ever letting you go!" He growled; his voice filled with rage.
"I only wanted you because I thought that you could give me a normal future!" I grasped his shoulders tightly. "Being with you was one of the biggest mistakes of my life! I was such a fool to ever fall for you!"
"Aura!" He screamed, I could feel his anger rising. Despite the fact that his eyes were covered, I could still see his expressions clearly.
“I could— no, I should kill you right now.” I spoke coldly as I pushed him away and fell to the ground. "But this is what Itachi-sama wanted! He wanted me to be yours! That bastard!" I screamed. "I don't care anymore. Just kill me! Immortality? For so long I had been obsessed with it but you made me realize that I didn't need it, back then and even now. The pain you've caused me feels worse than dying. Like a coward, I wanted to run away from it all—"
"Aura!" Sasuke growled out my name. He raised his hand to hit me but instead I grasped his wrist, stopping him.
"Don't you dare!" I screamed as I pulled out a kanzashi from my hair. "I did everything I could to make you change your mind! EVERYTHING and yet your heart chose darkness over me!" I felt my tears overwhelming my vision; I gripped my weapon a bit tighter, hoping that I wouldn't have to use it. "I wonder if I ever really loved you." I whispered. My eyes widened when I realized the truth. I couldn't just stand by and watch as Sasuke plunged headlong towards evil. I want to save him from that life because I loved him. I need to be prepared to do whatever it took, even if it meant killing the one I loved.
I had two options, I could kill him now and die in the war... or I could wait and see what fate had in store for me. I rested my hand over my stomach. "What's the point of something that disappears as soon as it's born? True beauty lies in things that last forever, never rotting or fading." I whispered Sasori's words. Shunsuke. This boy... would be my reason to cling to life so pathetically... for I knew that I would love him more than life itself. Warm tears escaped from my eyes and slid down my cheek as looked toward my ever-changing body. Sorry, Shun-chan. It must be a burden to have such a weak and wretched woman be your mother, but I'll try my best to give you a life filled with love.
