Note:

" talk " - The characters are speaking in Japanese.

" talk " - The characters are speaking English.

' talk ' - The characters are thinking.

More notes at the end of the chapter.

This chapter is unedited. (6/17/20)

Eternal

Part Two: Thallo

Chapter Ten:

Doubt I

A time lost...

She had never thought she'd see such destruction in her lifetime. She knew becoming a ninja would come with the stench of death and the uncertainty of tomorrow but growing up in a time of peace, she didn't realize just how bad things could get.

Just a few miles in front of her, another explosion had erupted, decimating the area and eliciting screams of anguish in its wake.

The panicked stares of the children she was with gave her a new sense of urgency far more than what she already felt.

"This way! Hurry," she urged, guiding them to the evacuation center behind the Hokage mountain. "Don't look back."

Hurriedly, they ran into the entrance, their tear filled eyes and looks of fear forever etched into her memory like it was fully embedded into it.

Debris fell, more fires erupted, and the village she loved so dearly was unrecognizable.

Leaping from the staircase down to the ground, she searched for more survivors.

"Sarada!"

She turned to the sound of her father's voice. He appeared beside her, crouching down and touching her shoulder with the only arm he had.

"Papa!" She exclaimed in relief. "Where's mama?"

His frown deepened. "Your mother is evacuating the hospital."

"Lead the way."

He nodded, leaping up onto the piled up debris and running to the direction of the hospital. She followed suit, the smell of burning and blood growing thicker the deeper into the village they went.

They spot a head of pink amidst the chaos of villagers running in search of safety. Quickly, her father was at her mother's side.

"You okay?"

Her mother nodded, lips in a thin line, a sign of her worries. "Yes, but," she paused, taking a breath. "The right wing of the hospital was the first to get crushed. I don't think anyone would have survived that."

Sarada landed before her parents. She knew how much her mother hated it when she couldn't save a patient. She couldn't even imagine her pain right now losing countless of them.

"What do we do now?" She asked, brows furrowed.

Her parents shared the look. She had seen it a few times before. The first was when they were facing Shin when she was twelve as a result of her search for her father. It was a conversation through their eyes only they could understand.

"Sarada," her mother started as she took something from an inner pocket of her lab coat. "Take this."

It was a scroll.

Her mother left it on her open palm and used her hands to fold Sarada's fingers on top of it.

"Head somewhere safe, and don't look back."

Her eyes shot wide open. "What? I can't just leave you!"

"Sarada, listen to your mother," her father said. "We'll do what we can here, but you have to promise us you'll get out of here."

"I can help! You both trained me!"

"We know you can, sweetie," her mother placed a hand on her shoulder, a forced smile on her face. "Which is exactly why we're giving you the scroll. It's Konoha's only chance."

Her lips pursed. "You guys are talking like you can't win this," she said quietly. If her parents were unsure, then it must be worse than it already seemed.

Her parents said nothing.

"You guys are talking like you don't think you can make it." It came out like a hiss, but she didn't care. It was unlike her parents. "You will win this, right?"

"Sarada, please," Her mother urged, eyes now focused. Wrapping her arms around her, she hugged her tightly. "Go. Now."

She was frozen. Even as she saw her parent's quickly running to the center of the village, she stood there, eyeing the scroll she had been given.

Balling her free hand into a fist, she shook her head.

No. She wasn't going to leave them behind.

Present

He wondered why he even bothered to appear in Maiso, listening to the man's demands. He had been doing what he was told to do, all for the promise of answers, but two years into it, he was beginning to question the reality of his predicament. He wanted the nightmares to stop. He wanted to know the cause of his so-called 'gifts.' He wanted to know why he fell ill at such a young age and when he was close to his death bed, he woke the next day being able to do things no one would ever have thought possible.

In the dimly lit bathroom, his long hair wet and body bare, he stared at the mirror fogged up by the steam, the aftereffect of his shower. It was fitting, he thought, that what he saw before him wasn't even a reflection of his face. He could make out the blurry outline of his head, an image he had seen before but with bodies and eyes that were not his, but he thought he should know.

He didn't.

Lifting his hand up, he placed it on the mirror and slid it across, showing him his face and the odd eyes he was born with. It was for a brief moment, a brief moment of clarity, then it began to disappear, the leftover steam fogging up the mirror.

He continued staring.

The longer he lingered, the more he thought that perhaps that the image before him was his true reflection all along.

Shikamaru sat on the dining chair by the wall, listening to Kakashi rehash what had happened the previous night. He had woken up from his slumber after hearing footsteps and doors closing. Judging from the urgency, they were either really tired and wanted to go to bed, or they didn't want anyone else to hear. Even if it was the first option, why would they be out that late anyway?

Leaning back, he brought his hands behind his head. "A man in a mask, huh?"

Kakashi gave him a nod.

"And you know who he is?"

The older man didn't provide an answer, but it wasn't needed.

Sighing, Shikamaru closed his eyes. "It makes things more complicated now, doesn't it?"

Itachi, who was in the kitchen, came into the dining area with a bowl of rice and a plate of eggs in his hands. "As if it wasn't already."

"Don't we have enough eggs already? We're only seven people and a cat," he said as he eyed the numerous plates in front of him.

"I wanted to make them perfect," the Uchiha said simply, as if that was enough to explain.

Kakashi walked towards the table. Leaning forward, he placed a hand down on the wooden surface. "Back to the topic at hand," he slid onto a seat. "Shimura being in Maiso is going to make it harder for us to leave unnoticed."

Taking off his apron and throwing it onto a chair, he sat down, as well. "I called Tsunade earlier, and she says that he might be leaving later today because of a meeting."

"Have any idea how long he'll be gone?"

"No."

"Then, maybe we have to change our plans slightly."

The back of Naruto's clothes were soaked as he stared up at a never ending darkness above him. His body felt lighter than the last time he was in the place. It was easier for him to breathe, and his limbs did not feel like they carried the weight of all of his thoughts, materialized.

"How long are you going to lay down there, Naruto?" It was the same deep, gravelly voice. It should have intimidated him, but it didn't.

He slowly lifted himself up, the liquid dripping off of him as he stood. "Giant fox?" He couldn't remember the name.

Answering with a sigh, the large fox shook his head. "It's Kurama, boy."

"Kurama." A name he should already know. "I'm here again. Do we have more time now?"

"Yes. I've been watching from here. Looks like you had an eventful night, huh, boy?"

Naruto stretched his arms up. "You could say that again. Did past me have to deal with that often?"

Kurama only laughed, neither confirming nor denying Naruto. "Your chakra pathway is establishing itself much faster than your friends. I think it's only a matter of time until you get your memories back."

"So that means I don't have to try and guess everyone's riddles now?" He sighed in relief. "But why is mine faster? Or is it another thing you can't talk about?"

"The latter."

"Damn it."

"But just because I can't tell you about your past doesn't mean I can't warn you about things."

Curiosity bubbled within Naruto. "What else do we have to look out for? Other than a corrupt politician?"

"I told you. People on our side aren't the only ones who were resurrected. And having that in mind, everyone on our side wouldn't have the luxury of people telling them which path is right."

Naruto thought back to the masked man. He knew who he was, or rather, he knew that he knew him. His chakra felt familiar, he didn't have to see his face to know that. "You're saying the bad guys could be using old friends."

Kurama nodded. "Some might not have regained their memories, and their desire to know could be used against them. Good thing that Uchiha kid was with you from the get-go."

"Sasuke?"

He had known Sasuke since they were kids. The implications of Kurama's statement startled him. Sasuke was definitely a friend. Whatever he did in the past does not mean he'd go that direction again. Still, he wondered what that meant for them, what that meant for them now.

Things were complicated enough.

Frustrated, he made a mess of his hair. "How long are we supposed to be doing this guessing game?"

"You'll learn soon enough. Kakashi and the older Uchiha know. It won't be too long until you and the Nara kid do, too. But..."

"But what?"

"You'll have to keep an eye on those friends of yours."

"Sakura-chan, too?"

"Those two have a shared history as complicated as yours and Sasuke's. All three of you are pains in the ass."

"Hey!"

"All I'm saying is that those two are going to take time."

"I mean I kinda figured they would since you just told me I'm probably remembering first," he said, then tapped his chin. "But how can I remember something that hasn't happened to me physically. This me. Or is the other me also physically still me? I mean, it had to be right? Since we remember how we look? But what if-"

"Enough of your blabbering! And to think I missed talking to you after not talking for millenia."

"Hey!"

"And as for your questions, we both know I can't say anything."

"Then what's the point of talking right now then if you can't tell me anything."

"I may not be able to tell you your past, perhaps reteaching you some things wouldn't hurt."

Naruto grinned mischievously. "A loophole, huh? Why didn't I think of that?"

"We all know why," Kurama said under his breath.

Naruto woke up in a way he hadn't in a long time. He woke up calm, refreshed. As he sat up on the bed, he looked at his shadow on the floor.

'Sakura-chan and Sasuke are gonna need time?' He thought, his arms folded above his chest as he racked his brain for an explanation. Finding nothing, he got out of bed and headed to the bathroom across the hall to wash his face.

He smiled at his reflection, his talk with Kurama reenergized him now that he was aware of answers coming soon. He just had to be more patient. It was disappointing to him, though, that the moment he brought up 'reteaching' he woke up. He shrugged, thinking that he probably was right about Kakashi already on it.

Leaving the bathroom, he noticed his light and bouncy steps that reflected his mood. He was never an early riser, so it was a surprise to him that he felt both Sasuke's and Sakura's chakra. They were both still in their rooms.

As he walked downstairs, he could smell the aroma of freshly cooked eggs. He wasn't surprised to see an overabundance of them on the dining table.

"Itachi in charge of breakfast?" He said as he took a seat.

Shikamaru looked at him quizzically. "He does this often?"

Shrugging, Naruto leaned forward for a plate. "He just wants perfect eggs."

That was met with a judging look from the Nara boy. 'I'm supposed to be friends with these guys in my past life?' At least that's what he assumed since they were all on the same side. That and from the moment he had seen Naruto and Kakashi at university, he had the same sensation of familiarity as the rest of the group did with each other. It was the same when he had met Temari, though not entirely.

Naruto looked around the room. "So where's Toma?" He had not sensed him nearby.

"Probably out looking for food or something."

"We could have fed him."

"We don't know what he eats."

Shikamaru made a point, Naruto thought, but it was odd he wasn't around and didn't tell anyone.

He turned to his side and saw Kakashi, plate empty in front of him. "Did you just finish?"

He made a noise of affirmation.

Interest sparked in Naruto's eyes. "Hey, Shikamaru, what does he look like without the mask?"

"I don't know." Shikamaru went back to his food.

"What do you mean you don't know? You were right here!"

"He ate pretty fast."

Suspicious, he focused on Kakashi again. "Did you use some sort of magic ninja thing?"

"No."

Itachi, who had been silently sipping from his steaming cup of coffee while reading the news on his phone, noticed the omission of two people. "Where are Sasuke and Sakura?"

"Here."

Sasuke walked in, his hair slightly a mess, but he ran his hair through it in an attempt to fix it.

"Never thought I'd see the day Naruto wakes up before you," Itachi said, setting his cup down.

"Yeah, well, things haven't been normal these past few days." Sasuke sat down on the empty seat beside his brother.

"It's our new normal."

"Anything interesting on the news?" Sasuke asked his brother, preparing his plate to eat.

"Nothing to note. Shimura still hasn't revealed anything to the public."

He nodded, chewing on his food.

"Is the Dr. Tsunade lady coming over soon?" Naruto asked, as he put his chopsticks down.

"Yes. She'll be here with her things," Kakashi answered. "We all have to discuss some things before going forward."

Itachi had turned off the alarm earlier, awaiting Tsunade's arrival.

As they all continued speaking and eating, upstairs, someone's mood was the complete opposite of the friendly atmosphere.

Still on the bed, eyes weary from the heavy tears that had just ceased falling, Sakura replayed the horrifying image in her mind all night. The pain wearing down her mind, body, and her heart. She clutched onto her chest, begging for the agony to end. But it was no use.

She tried telling herself that it was nothing. Just a dream. But she knew that because of the sheer torment she felt within her that it had to be a memory. Is that why she felt so connected to him? Was it some sort of tragic one sided love that ultimately ended in her end? It was almost Shakespearean, him stabbing her right through her chest.

She never really had visions of her looking older than seventeen. Was this the cause?

But it wasn't the pain of his hand through her chest that hurt her. It was the inexplicable love she felt for him at that moment that tore her to shreds. Why, even as he harmed her so violently, did she still love him?

Love.

She shook her head.

She had had enough of this.

Getting out of bed and quickly walking to the bathroom, she washed out the dried tears on her face, but nothing could hide the exhaustion and swollenness of her eyes and the dark circles beneath them.

She gave herself a look through the mirror, telling herself to toughen up, no matter how useless she knew it was.

Quietly, she walked down the stairs, head down as she arrived in the kitchen where everyone had congregated.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted happily.

Sakura greeted him back, flinching at how tired she sounded.

Sasuke had noticed her mood immediately, his eyes trained on her and how she walked. Something was wrong.

They met eyes, and, instead of their usual lingering stares, Sakura quickly averted her eyes and focused on the seat she was taking beside Kakashi.

"What's wrong?" He asked, uncomfortable with the change in her demeanor.

She didn't look at him, but her head went up. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean, Sakura."

All eyes were on her as her gaze nervously shifted to everyone but Sasuke.

Kakashi and Itachi shared a look of concern. Something definitely had happened.

"I just couldn't sleep. That's all," she finally said as she placed food on her plate.

Studying her, Kakashi noticed her swollen eyes. She had been crying. Originally, he thought it was just her emotions that had piled up after a very eventful few days, but with the way she avoided the younger Uchiha's eyes were any indication, it involved him.

But Sasuke, himself, seemed concerned. He could see it in the change in his posture. He concluded that it had something to do with him, but not something he had said or done recently.

A memory perhaps?

Those two shared a complicated history, the entire team did, but what happened between them carried a lot of weight on both their shoulders, the mistakes they made and the opposite paths they took.

His thoughts stopped for a brief moment.

'What if…'

If he was right in his suspicion, then things had gotten more complicated than he had wanted them to be.

Fate had a sick and twisted mind.

He shook his head. The sooner everyone regained their memories the better, but for right now, he definitely would have to help steer them in the right direction.

There was a period of silence in the room, no one choosing to say anything, for the atmosphere had grown heavy. Naruto chose this time to think about what Kurama had said. Was this what he meant by them needing more time?

They were fine the night before, but now there was a different kind of tension he felt on Sakura's part towards Sasuke. He figured that Sasuke, himself, didn't know what was happening. He'd have to ask him about it later.

They could hear the door open, but they all knew who it was. With them now being able to sense chakra now, they didn't have to guess.

Tsunade looked exhausted as she carried her large bag into the cottage. Sakura abruptly stood up and quickly went to her side.

"How was it?"

"Villanueva wouldn't stop pressing me about you, but I managed to get her to back off," she said, placing her bag on a nearby chair. "Shimura just left for Tokyo."

"I thought he was staying here?" Itachi asked as he stood up.

"Apparently not," she grumbled.

Shikamaru folded his arms as he leaned back on his chair. "It's most likely a press conference. Do you think he'll come back after?"

"I don't know, but some of his goons are still at the site."

"Any of them at the heliport?"

"I wouldn't put it past him."

"Then, we're going to have to figure out another way to leave."

This was a shock to everyone.

"We're leaving?" Naruto exclaimed.

Sakura felt her heart drop. "What about the patients at the site?"

"We'll be back, but we're not safe here anymore," Kakashi said. "With what happened last night, Shimura already knows we're here."

"So we just, what? Hide?" Naruto walked to Sakura's side.

Sighing, their former sensei shook his head. "It's clear that Shimura is up to something far greater than we thought it would be. You need to train and regain your memories so that your bodies will be ready for whatever's to come."

"Kakashi's right," Itachi said. "You don't know what this means yet, and hopefully, you do soon, but know that the three of you are too important."

A heavy silence filled the room. Though no one spoke, everyone unaware had a hunch of which three he was referring to.

Naruto.

Sasuke.

Sakura.

The boys shared a glance while Sakura stood with her hands shaking. She brought them to her chest and held them together tightly as her eyes flickered briefly to Sasuke's before they went back to staring at the floor beneath her.

Too important, he said.

Naruto was beginning to wonder just who exactly they were to be regarded as such. He had a hunch that, to be reincarnated, they would have to hold some type of role in their past lives, but to be specifically called "too important" made it seem like there was a lot more at stake.

Was it because of the fox inside him? What exactly was he doing in his head anyway? He was already tired of mental gymnastics this entire thing had brought them, especially when there were so many questions and no direct answers, just answers spoken in riddles he would never get until his memories did return.

It was a pain, and he wasn't the only one tired of it. Sasuke's face showed that. But Sasuke wasn't going to voice his thoughts out loud. A part of him already knew that the three of them meeting was a sign that nothing was ever going to be the same. The moment they all stepped foot in the damned place, he knew he'd return different.

He didn't know whether to be upset or glad. Upset that the normalcy he had grown used to had slipped away, replaced by the anonymity of change. However, he thought it may be a good thing. Years of confusion had led up to what was coming. Itachi's illness, their parents' untimely demise, the dreams, the eyes, the familiarity he felt towards these strangers.

A certain shade of pink.

There was a pang in his chest. She had been acting strange. He had noticed her avoiding him, as if the sight of him had caused her great discomfort. He had thought that, perhaps, the night prior may have changed them in a way, but not like this.

He chanced a glance at her. She was shaking slightly, the aftereffects of no sleep and a hectic few days. But he knew it was deeper than that. He knew something kept her up.

Was it a dream? A memory from her past life that had spooked her? It must be. And the way she hadn't spoken a word nor wanted to look at him, he knew it involved him.

He gritted his teeth. What could he have done? His mind went searching for the scenes that had played out in his slumber where she had been a part of. Coming up with nothing, he decided to wait and talk with her later.

Kakashi faked a cough that caught everyone's attention, steering it away from the rather shocking piece of information. "We'll be leaving in a few hours."

"But didn't Dr. Senju say that Shimura's men are still at the site? What if they're at the helipad?" Shikamaru inquired.

"Through the forest. We'll head to Poroshiri-sanso. It's an abandoned cottage in the middle of a large field that's big enough for a helicopter to land on it. Once we're out, we'll be heading to New Chitose airport and taking a plane."

"Where are we going to find a helicopter?" Naruto asked.

Groaning, Shikamaru stood. "I'll call Temari."

"Thank you," Kakashi said as he nodded.

"Temari?" Naruto parroted, confused.

"She's another one of us." Kakashi turned to Shikamaru. "She'll be handling the plane tickets and picking us up from the meet-up point."

"Oh," he said. "Then why does Shikamaru have to call her? Aren't you, like, the head of this whole thing?"

"Because that troublesome woman is my girlfriend." Shikamaru took his phone out and walked out of the room into the kitchen.

Naruto's mouth formed a small "o" as he slowly nodded at the new bit of information. Sasuke, though, had to wonder just how many of them there were.

"While Shikamaru is taking care of that," Itachi started. "We need to talk about what is to happen going forward."

Placing his tablet on the table, he slid his finger across the screen and pressed the maps app icon. The blue dot told them of their location. He zoomed out and the map expanded.

"We'll be meeting with Temari here." He pointed somewhere east of the blue dot. "Then, after an hour or so," he stopped and zoomed out some more. "We'll be in Sendai."

"Sendai? Why not Tokyo?" Sakura asked, her words coming out nervous.

"We want you to be away from Shimura," he said. "However, Tsunade and I will be going to Tokyo a little after we drop you off to retrieve some important materials. We'll be back around midnight."

"What are we supposed to do in Sendai anyway?" Sasuke walked over to the table and leaned in closer to see the tablet.

Even behind a mask, it was obvious that Kakashi was smiling. "I did say that you need to train."

Packing wasn't hard for anybody. Having only thought they would be in Maiso for only three days, the boys only had a backpack worth of things. Sakura, although she thought that she was going to be in Maiso for much longer, also had a light load.

As she gathered her things and stuffed them into her bag, she sighed.

"Now, that was a heavy sigh."

Her head shot up as she heard the familiar voice. "Dr. Senju!" She straightened her back.

"No need to be so formal, Sakura. After everything, I think we're past that," Tsunade said as she walked into the room she had occupied.

"I don't know if I'm comfortable enough to call you by your first name yet, Dr. Senju."

Tsunade shook her head. "Anything but Dr. Senju."

Sakura bit her lip. "What about… Shishou?"

She laughed. "That's even more formal, but," she paused, the word not as terrible as she thought it would sound. "Go ahead."

A small smile adorned Sakura's lips, the term familiar to her, entirely fitting.

"Now, you want to tell me why you have eye bags darker than Shimura's political history?"

The smile disappeared, replaced with a look of worry. "It's nothing."

Tsunade sat on the bed. "Something bothering you?"

"I don't know, it's just wrong that we're leaving the patients like this. It makes no sense to me."

"While that's true, that's not the only thing bothering you, is it?"

Her silence was answer enough.

"Was it a dream? One of those memories?"

She didn't speak. Instead, she continued to put her things in her bag.

This time, it was Tsunade who sighed. "Look, kid. I haven't regained my memories fully yet, either, but you know that what we're seeing in these visions aren't the whole picture, right?"

"I know that!" Sakura stopped packing and slammed her hands on the mattress, upset. "But what I do know is the pain past me felt was real, and I feel it too."

Her brows furrowed. "You have every right to feel upset," she said as she stood and walked behind the young woman, hands on her shoulders. "But whatever it was you saw, you won't know the truth until you finally do get the whole scope of things."

"I know."

"But don't let that deter you from what's in front of you. Don't let it consume you just yet." She let go of her shoulders. "I know you're smarter than that, kid."

Sakura knew this, too. But something inside her, a small voice was whispering to her, feeding into her fear. "It's just… Everything happened all at once. I was so used to my life before this. Wake up, go to school, work and study hard, go home, sleep. That's been my routine for so long. Graduate, get my masters, then become a doctor as good as you." She laughed, no amusement heard in it. "But now there's this whole new thing I don't know what to do with, but apparently I have to deal with it because it's basically fate. This is uncharted territory for me."

"And you don't think that it is for everyone?" Tsunade said simply. "We all have a different way of dealing with things. No one said you had to be here, Sakura. I know you're scared. But what are you scared of exactly?"

Him. How she feels about him. How she knows that it will bring her so much pain.

She didn't say anything, and Tsunade didn't either. Instead, the woman gave her a pat on the back.

"You're a tough girl, Haruno. Whatever it is you need to figure out, you will. I know for a fact that you will."

Sakura hoped she was right.

"I'm telling you, we have to go look for Toma first! We can't just leave him here!" Naruto exclaimed.

Sakura was the last one to walk out into the front porch where almost everyone had gathered, ready to exit.

"Toma? Where is he?" She asked, concern evident in her voice.

"We haven't seen him all morning. We thought he probably went out to find food for himself or something but we can't just leave without him!"

"Naruto's right," she said. "After everything that happened, we have to bring him with us."

Shikamaru walked out into the front porch with his phone in hand. "Temari just called. She's in location."

"I'll stay behind to look around," Kakashi said. "You all head to Poroshiri-sanso."

"But we can't just leave you here either." Naruto looked at him in slight disbelief.

"I can search faster than all of you. I'll be there within thirty minutes." And with that, he disappeared.

Caught off guard, they stared at where he stood just seconds ago.

"He jumped and ran through the trees," Itachi offered an explanation. "He was just too fast for you to see."

Naruto pointed forward. "Will we be able to…?"

Itachi nodded. "Once you're retrained. Even faster if your memories come back beforehand."

Nodding, he felt more determined to get them quicker. He was tired of the riddles, of beating around the bush. The way he saw it, the faster he remembered, the better.

But the feeling was not the same for everyone.

Sakura looked down. She hated feeling so conflicted.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turned to see Tsunade behind her, her face reminding her of their talk moments ago.

Sasuke noticed this. He wanted to talk to her, but now was not the best time. The way she was acting, he wasn't used to it. It wasn't the Sakura he had gotten to know the past few days, and subconsciously, he knew it was because something had made her feel anxious.

He knew she was anxious before, but there was a new source.

He scoffed. Perhaps it was his ego, but he couldn't shake the feeling. He knew her.

He knew her well, and because he knew her so well, he knew that he was the cause. But what dream, what memory, did she see? What could he have done?

He thought of their conversation on the roof the other night.

"Your eyes looked so empty."

"As opposed to now?"

"Excuse me?"

"They aren't empty now?"

"No. They're not."

What made his eyes appear empty then?

Kakashi jumped from tree to tree, eyes quickly scanning the ground for the black cat. He had to find him quick, but where could the cat have gone?

Naruto's worries were not unfounded. He, too, wondered where Toma had gone. It didn't seem like the cat to disappear without saying.

He found himself in the small patch of green they were the night before. With the urgency they had felt last night to get away, perhaps, he was left behind. That being said, Toma would have gone back to the cottage.

Something didn't sit right.

The men he had knocked out last night were no longer there, which he had been expecting. They would have been dragged out by then.

But something else was stained on the grass in the opposite direction.

Red.

And it was leaving a small trail towards a bush.

He walked towards it and as soon as he caught sight of a black tail, he looked away. He didn't have to see the body.

But to have taken away the bodies of the unconscious men and leave a dead animal behind only meant one thing.

It was a warning.

"Shit," he cursed. As he leapt up from the ground and was running towards the direction of Poroshiri-sanso.

They were being trailed.

Notes:

So this is part 1 of Doubt! Decided that for Thallo, chapters will be shorter so that I can update more often. I've noticed that when I push myself too hard with word length that I end up updating after monthsss and I don't want to subject y'all to the long waits. Also because I'm taking summer classes and I just got promoted at work meaning I have way less free time now, so I thought shortening the length in favor of faster updates were more ideal.