Just Imagine

Chapter 14

Ima's pov

We put Azkuma back in the closet after he refused to stop making bathroom jokes. Over the past few months, Sasuke, Oberon and I have become pretty good friends! Oberon has even been welcomed into the house for once. He even did us a favor, removing my father's body while Sasuke and I ran around the backyard. It was very nice of him. He buried him out front, creating a little headstone out of twigs and such. After that, Sasuke and I both knew he'd be a permanent part of our little group. Sasuke started the academy, so he isn't around as much. So Oberon keeps me company! We still wait for Sasuke before going out though. 

But today is different.

Sasuke appears, but he's shaking, and disoriented. He's crying too. You can tell by his off-canter posture that he got here by either passing out or knocking himself out. It's scary at first, but Oberon is really level-headed, and he immediately goes to steady to boy. I can't believe I froze. I'm just glad I didn't shut down. I'm glad I was able to hold Sasuke's hands and wait for him to calm down enough to talk. I'm glad I'm able to sit down with him and wait as he gulps down air as though he's suffocating. His eyes are so dull... so dull.

"Sasuke?" I whispered. Oberon sits on the ground patiently, messing with the banjo he'd made out of a cookie tin. "T-They're all gone." He gasped, his eyes meeting mine. My eyes widened. "W-What do you mean?" I stuttered, my eyes wide. "I-Itachi... h-he killed th-them all!" He blubbered, looking so frustrated and upset that he could scream. I leaned forward and wrapped him in a hug. He squeezed me tight, his fists clenching around the fabric of the shirt I was wearing. I let him. "Who'd he kill?" I whispered in a soft tone. "All o-of them... all o-of my clan." Sasuke whispered. My eyes widened with horror. 

I felt my heart sink lower and lower as Sasuke recounted the events he'd just witnessed before losing consciousness. Oberon stayed silent throughout the whole thing, which was surprising. He's a pretty loud, outgoing dude. I guess he's finally taking something seriously. I'm glad, because this is far from a joke. "Sasuke, I-I'm so sorry!" I wailed, trying to imagine his clan alive and okay. Trying to imagine Sasuke okay. It wasn't working at all. Why wasn't it working? 

"You... didn't do anything. It was all Itachi." I heard his teeth grit together. "You'll get stronger." Oberon's words sounded reassuring, like a promise. "I will. Every adventure we go on here makes me stronger... you do too, Ima. I don't need anyone else. I'll just... I'll kill Itachi, and I'll find you. And I'll restore my clan's glory and... and..." He was crying again. I could hear it in his voice, which was shaking. It was shaking so bad. "I know... I know." I whispered, rubbing his back and closing my eyes. He's lost his whole family. All of them, taken from him in a single night by someone who used to look up to so much.

"I'll kill him." His voice was so hollow. 

"I know." My voice was sad, because while this was still Sasuke, it wasn't the same one from the day before. 

~

Sasuke was different now. As the year progressed, and we both hit the age of nine, it became clear he'd never be the same again. Around Oberon and I, he showed some emotion. We were his escape, and now, all he had. It was sad to think about it like that, so I tried not to. Every night I tried to imagine things better for him, but they didn't work. I had never met his family. I had never seen his family. I couldn't do anything to fix what had happened. I trained and trained to further control and strengthen my powers, but I couldn't do anything. We braved the candy cane forest and the mushroom one as well, nearly completing our map, but I couldn't bring his clan back. I couldn't... I couldn't.

I guess you could say that Sasuke had become more like an Uchiha. Colder, in a sense, with a lot more grunting. But he was just now learning how to smile again, although I could tell he wasn't truly happy. Many times he'd implied us finding a way to get to each other, and never did I object. But I wasn't sure how I was supposed to get with him. I don't know if I can leave, and I don't know where my wilderness is. I wish I did, but I don't... I just don't. That's another thing that upsets me. We went into town. We looked for the name of this small village. There was nothing. 

Maybe Sasuke and I aren't supposed to meet.