✓ Naruto: Euphoria (2011) ||Winner of NWA 2014||

Ethereal 36: Water Scroll (Unedited)

Chapter 36

"Where are we?" Sakura enquired.

"The place where we will find the scroll." I raised myself from my seat as the engine slowly died.

I eagerly made my way through the thick leaves and stems that stuck out everywhere. Sakura was close behind me.

Soon enough, as expected, it started to cloud. The temperature dropped and I could feel a shiver of excitement run down my spine.

We now hauled at a stop when we came to a clearing. It was cold and foggy at first but my eyes adjusted fast.

"Wow!" Sakura beamed, "What is this place?" She said, looking around at the lush green grass and the colorful flowers that bloomed in the hidden place.

"It used to be a plave where I came to kick out my frustration." I smiled. "Last time I came here, I was with Tis--" My heart skipped a beat. Even before I could take her name, a voice interrupted.

"What about me?" A black, slim shadow appeared from behind the mist. It came from the direction where my small cottage was. Could it be? My mind shouted. But how?

Sakura tapped me on the shoulder and gave me a questioning look. "What happened?"

"Sh-She doesn't remember us." I managed to whisper.

Sakura gave me a look of sympathy and shock but didn't say anything. It was good that she was so understanding.

"Who are you guys?" Tisha asked us, folding her arms. There were scratches all over her body, even on her face. My jaw dropped. "What happened to you?"

She seem to recognise me from before and chuckled. "Oh, you are the one I met in school day before." She said in a surprises tone, "But, how did you find this place?"

"N-no! First tell me what happened to you?" I exclaimed, rushing towards her.

"Don't! Don't touch me!" She shouted taking me by surprise. My eyes widened as I tried to hold back my tears.

She must have seen me holding it back because she suddenly changed her tone, to a more gentler one. "I am sorry. If I offended you, you must be someone who knew me well in the past." She half questioned.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but I interrupted her As I said, it was best if she didn't know.

"Nu-uh." I shaked my head in denial. "We just met one on a vaccation! Can't expect you to remember me." I feigned a smile.

"Did we?"

"Yea; don't worry about it. I just have a good memory to remember everything."

"Oh... I see." She sounded unsure.

"So," Sakura said breaking the silence, "what happened with you?"

"Me? Uh..." she said looking down at herself and sighing, "This happens with me each time I come here." Tisha started walking back from where she came. "I recently met with an accident and am suffering from amnesia." We followed her.

All the way back to the cottage, she explained to us that she couldn't remember a thing from the past but just this place which kept flashing in her mind. "And a voice which said that I was welcome to this place anytime."

I remembered saying that to her as we sat down on the porch.

"It is faint and I cannot see her face, but there is always this girl in my memories who leads me here." She said looking at the epmty space in front. "But each time I come here, I tend to forget my way, or even if I remember I somehow get diverted to another path..." She moaned, "and end up falling here and there."