The Perils of Dimension Hopping | A Naruto/LOTR Crossover

Chapter Twenty-One: Together

Everything was hazy when she woke up.

Though Sakura soon realised it was thanks to the tears still spilling from her eyes. Dimly, she became aware of the rocking sensation, eyes sliding over to glance down at the white horse upon which she was seated. A familiar white horse. Asfaloth. Meaning... She turned her head, green meeting grey as she stared up into the conflicted gaze of her usual minder who looked torn between scolding her senseless and wrapping her in a comforting hug.

Sakura knew she probably looked terribly pitiful, given the state of her eyes and her stupidly small body. Maybe if she'd been bigger she would have been able to save Madara and Inner both... maybe she wouldn't have had to sacrifice one for the other. A sniffle escaped her, and Sakura let herself slump against the warm body at her side. She felt exhausted, despite having just woken up, stomach rumbling – and for a good reason too, as she soon discovered, upon spying the elven dwelling they had left behind what seemed like years ago.

When she left Inner had still been alive.

She hunched in on herself, glumly looking at the twinkling lights as they made their way closer and closer to their home. It should have been Inner's home too, since she was the one who was really from that world. Fresh tears leaked down her cheeks like a broken faucet. Sakura wasn't sure they would ever stop.

It wasn't like when she had left the Elemental Nations. Everyone had still been alive there. Everyone would still be alive, especially with Madara in the new world with her. Inner's world. She was gone for good, as she had told her so calmly about her upcoming demise. All because of the choices she had made in her brash recklessness. All because she didn't want to be left behind again. All because she hadn't seen the friend she'd had fighting in her corner the entire time.

She still felt numb even after their arrival in Imladris, content to just sit in silence, letting the conversations of adults in mind and body flow over her head.

She was back in a familiar room, she realised eventually, a bowl of creamy soup in her hands as she ate listlessly. It didn't taste of much, but she was hungry, so she ate until all she was left with was an empty bowl, and a quiet room. The silence was oddly nice.

But Inner should have been there. Should have been a little presence in the back of her mind, occasionally chiming in with nuggets of wisdom.

But Inner was dead.

She was dead, and Sakura felt so numb. Why wasn't she crying like all the other times it hurt? Or maybe she had just used up all her tears... Sighing, she flopped back on the bed, sounding so dull rather than simply fed up. She was fairly sure she was in Madara's room – the one she had used previously no doubt having some forestry still growing through it.

"Sakura."

Blinking, she turned slowly, tilting her head as she spotted Madara sitting a little ways away on the bed. Why hadn't she noticed him? She could only wonder, watching blankly as he clambered over the sheets towards her, seating himself down beside her.

"I'm, well"—he looked away, pointed ears reddening—"I guess what I'm trying to say is... I'm sorry for leaving," he grumbled, sounding terribly petulant. Sakura didn't particularly care. Inner was dead. "I have come to the conclusion over the past few days that there's no way for us to return... Not without the intervention of whatever sort of higher power brought us here."

A strangled laugh escaped her. If he'd figured it out sooner then she would never have had to—

Sakura shook her head. It was her choice. Not Madara's. The fault – the blame – lay with her, and her alone. "You know," he continued, a nervous sort of scowl pulling at his lips. "I, uh, might be able to help comfort you if I knew what was wrong..."