Darkness

Wind whistled back and forth, as eyes blinked open to the shining light above them. They scanned the trees that swayed, tracing along each leaf and twig, trying to get a sense of where he was. Even his mind couldn't click into where it was.

But as he continued to peer up at the pale blue sky, it began to darken and turn to a crisp orange. Orange. That color almost brought tears back into his eyes as he watched it form above him, the clouds passing by as if life continued on.

Why though? Why did that color haunt him like that? His mind couldn't register the reason; all it could do was draw blanks to it all. Conclusions, thoughts, even reasoning were left to the winds above him, the chirping of the birds, even the light rhythm of the swaying trees as they set themselves upon the now bloodening sky.

His body felt like shit; though again he couldn't remember why it would. Even pushing himself off the ground seemed to waken unknown pain throughout his bones. With head no longer level with the ground, his eyes traced the ground hoping to find some help in his cluelessness. Still nothing.

"Nnn..." His throat felt dry, even burning as words tried to force themselves out between his lips, but again he couldn't seem to find the reason for the pain. Had he just passed out here after drinking or something? No... He still remembered he wasn't of age to drink. Then what happened?

Figuring that he couldn't just sit there in the middle of nowhere, with no concept of time or even where he was, he stood up shakingly, immediately finding himself back to a crouching position as his legs gave out. God. This pain, it was unbearable, but he had to deal with it now. There were more important things.

"H-Hello?" He croaked out, again the dryness in his throat seemed to burn it even more than normal as he pushed himself back up to standing once more. Getting a look at the ground better, he saw a tattered piece of cloth, just attached to a broken twig. Staggering towards it, his hands lifted it up towards his face.

The smell, it was like a Sakura tree. But the color. It was that color that seemed to pain him in his heart. Orange. "Hello?"

No answer.

He had to find out where he was, hell he'd die if he didn't. Pushing himself towards a random direction, all he could do was pray that something was relatively close there. Feet moved slowly, as time seemed to wind down for him; even the setting sun above couldn't help him anymore as it just stood there, almost frozen upon its ever glide.

Blocking out most of the pain, he found himself passing by trees, fallen logs, even a few foxes that ran by. But still, no help in his location. It just seemed as though the world had hated him now, it didn't want to help him at all.

Did that stop him before? No. Another thing he at least could remember. Even when the world hated him, he still walked on through those ever burning flames of hell called this earth.

His senses told him he was alone in it all, but his heart told him differently. It was just intuition, but it felt right. There was someone with iml there always was, and there always would be. But who? Another question for him that drew more blanks.

Already tired of not knowing those answers, he forced himself not to think of anything but moving his body forward, towards that destination unknown.

As he did so, he watched the trees begin to part ways as his eyes settled upon a glade. A glade he remembered; a realization helped by the fact he felt compelled to come this way. But wasn't there supposed to be someone waiting for him? Always there, wanting to be with him.

And yet, there was nothing there; no phantom ghost, nor tangible person waiting for him, as if he was forgotten, or even lost. His feet, though, told him different. They didn't want to stop this time; and he had to go through with that. That tree in the distance, it grew closer and closer, as his heart raced. Nothing seemed to be there to scare him, nor did it seem to be there to harm him; so why was he this way? Why?

It was him.

Yes, he understood. It was the one he felt that should always be with him. That was the reason his heart raced; it was here he met him so long ago. But now it seemed no one came by. Even the tree looked like it began to whither away because of neglect.

Those beautiful pink and purple petals seemed dulled, even in the crimson twilight's shine. The luscious and almost living trunk seemed to be rustic and ancient now. But it was all he had at the moment. Pressing his hand against the trunk as he found himself in front of it, he sighed. That pain had worsened since he woke up, and yet it seemed to lessen at the same time.

All he could think of was that he was just dying. A dying man wandering lost in a forest; never to be found again as he lived his last few moments.

But no; something else shined against his skin. Something that had drawn him away from the depressing wood in front of him.

As he peered about to stare, he found a cluster of clouds, shining against the setting dusk, twirling around in magnificence.

That was what he was looking for. Now he had remembered. Back then, those same clouds had come by to show him something. Back then, he didn't understand it.

But now he did.

Those clouds were there for one reason; to draw him back. Draw him back to find the one who matched those colors. To match that color.

Orange.

"SASUKE!"

He blinked, thinking it was the clouds screaming at him. But as he watched them, his eyes seemed to fall shut, heaviness converged on his body, making him stagger back and forth.

"SASUKE!"

His back slumped against the trunk, as it slid down; his eyes shutting finally. Peace was coming back; even through those frantic screams, it was returning to him.

"SASUKE!"

---

He grunted a bit, as his eyes opened once more; them falling upon a sobbing woman above him. "SASUKE!" He felt his body ache as she hugged him tightly, almost giving him enough pain to pass out.

"Nnn..." Again, his throat was dry and burning; but it wasn't as bad as before. Nothing was as bad. But now, now he had some comfort in it all. He remembered why he had gone there so long ago; to find his destiny.

Now it just seemed destiny was dragging him back there, yet in his heart it wasn't the right time yet. He knew that it would be soon though, very soon.

He smiled at her, before closing his eyes again; finally being able to whisper something to her. "Take me back... and fix me up.. Sakura-chan..."

That blackness surrounded him again; but this time it was blanketing him with a calming tide. Cradling him like a small child. Caressing his cheek like a lover. And those swirling clouds returned, but within them there seemed to be sadness, hoping for something new. Hoping to have that one last glimpse.