Memories of a lifetime

When Sasuke loses his memory and finds a certain brunette next to him, all he wants is to find what he has lost. But will finding back his memory give him his life back or will he just loose even more?

Prologue

There was chaos. Everything was on fire, people were screaming, running and trying to escape from what was destroying the city. Nothing was kept whole and no one was kept alive unless they managed to flee. Another house was burned down, more people died of the fire or because they were attacked. Attacked by the monster that had suddenly appeared in the city and gone berserk on everything. It was throwing the people who tried to kill him into burning buildings, or just smashed their bodies to pulp. He was big and furious and gave out a roar that send shivers down everyone's spine. There was no escaping of this monster. It was not only too strong for the people of the city, but it was also too fast and out there to kill and destroy. It didn't take long before the entire city was on fire and most of the people were wiped out. The monster looked around, searching for more victims, searching for more to destroy. There was no reasonable thought in this monster's mind and thus, when he saw a certain boy, trying to flee with his family, the remaining citizens thought that he was next when the monster came running for him. Instead it killed the family members that tried to defend the boy and then hit the boy unconscious and killed the remaining of his family. It let out a devastating roar and then set all that was left of the city on fire and destroyed it all. All that was left was of the city was a burning piece of rubble and dead bodies. No one had escaped the monster's terror except for the boy he had spared.

Chapter 1

Neji let out a slight moan as he woke up from a deep state of unconsciousness. His head was throbbing and his body was stiff, it was protesting against him when he pushed himself up and tried to open his eyes. As he rubbed over a sore spot on his head, he remembered panic, pain and despair. He remembered hearing screams of agony from his mother before his mind clouded and he had been torn away from the horrible scene he was forced to look at. He knew what had happened. His parents had been killed. As he opened his eyes, he came face to face with the city he had once lived in, as it had turned to a cemetery consisting of ash. Tears came to his eyes as he realised that he had just lost everyone he loved and cared about, by the hands of a monster that he knew nothing about. He breathed in deeply, trying to think clear, trying to think of what he had to do, and where he should go. It was a complete mystery how he got to the edge of the city anyhow, he must have been carried here by someone. But who? And why did this person knock him out? As he blew out the breath he had been holding, he took a hold of the clothes close to his heart, gripping it firmly. He started shaking. What on earth did he have to do now?

Neji was soon forced out of his panic as a moan, not very far from Neji, was heard and when he looked to see where it came from, he saw a boy with black raven hair laying in the forest as well. The boy gave out another moan and while his eyes were still closed, he put a hand to his head and a look of hurt moved over his face. He then opened his eyes to stare at the sky.

Neji was silent for some time as he looked at the boy. Did this boy bring him here? Or was the boy brought here as well? He did look like he had been hurt by the whole situation, like he had lost some people as well. Neji then turned his head to look at the city once more. Quickly blinking his tears away, he massaged his temples a little. He wanted to speak, but couldn't find the words. He'd rather scream now, then talk.

The boy let out another moan as he sat up and his eyes finally spotted Neji. He stared at him for a while before speaking.

"... Who are you?" The boy asked Neji.

Neji looked at the other for a while, before once more staring at the city.

"Neji." He then replied. "...Who are you?"

".. I'm not sure..." The boy said. "Sasuke.. I think." He frowned now, trying to remember his name.

Neji once more looked at the boy and looked into his eyes.

"Does your head hurt?" He then asked. "You might have a concussion and lost your memory."

"... I.. don't know." The boy, Sasuke, said. He looked back at Neji. "Why are we here? Am I supposed to know you?"

"You don't know if your head hurts?" Neji asked as his face slightly set into a frown. "Some monster ran into the city and killed everyone. It hit me unconscious and when I woke up you were there. I don't know what happened to you."

"... My head does hurt.. slightly." Sasuke said. ".. I can't remember what happened."

Neji looked at the boy, Sasuke, some longer, before he stood and walked over to him. He knelt down and took a slight hold of Sasuke's head, inspecting it for any injuries.

"It seems you didn't get a blow on your head that was serious." He then said.

"Then why can't I remember anything?" Sasuke asked as he pushed Neji's hands away. For some reason, he didn't like to be touched.

"Why do you think I know the answer?" Neji asked as he stood and took distance. "I'm going to take my leave now. I'm going to search for survivors." He then walked away from Sasuke, in the direction of his village. The guy didn't seem nice enough anyway.

But Sasuke got up and followed Neji nonetheless.

"Because... I can't remember and we woke up on the same spot. You must know me right." Sasuke said.

"No, I don't know you." Neji replied, without looking back. "Like I said, I don't know why we woke up at the same spot. I only know what happened to me, I know nothing of you."

"Well we must have had some link. What happened to you then?" Sasuke asked.

"Apparently I was knocked out and taken to the edge of the city after my parents were killed." Neji said, as he was searching for some survivors.

Sasuke was silent for some time as he looked at Neji and kept following him.

"... I'm sorry. What about my parents?" He asked. He was sure Neji knew more. He had to right?

Neji just let out a sigh now, as he pulled up a shutter in the floor of what had been the house of a friend of him, and he looked inside. He called his name, but there was no reply.

"I don't think the people who survived here are still here right now." Sasuke said, as he looked at Neji.

"Could you shut up for a second?" Neji now asked, shooting a glare into Sasuke's direction. "You never know if they are here and I've been in this basement for a couple of times, so I know the sound of the echo in here. I can hear if there are still people inside, perhaps unconscious or dead."

"Why, do you have some kind of powers?" Sasuke asked. "I really don't think anyone survived here, look at the place." He looked around the still smothering city. If his family was here too, then they would probably be dead as well.

"I have knowledge of the whole human body." Neji said, as he continued on searching. "And a lot as well."

"So what are you gonna do, look through the entire city for survivors? There are none. No one could have survived in this place." Sasuke said.

"I at least want to look what's left of my house, if you don't mind." Neji said, a little irritated.

"Fine. But can we get out of here after that? Those fumes aren't good for you or me." Sasuke said.

"Let me say one thing Sasuke: there is no 'we'." Neji said. "You can also leave already."

"Well where am I supposed to go? I can't remember a thing apart from my name." Sasuke said, looking at Neji.

"That's not my problem now is it?" Neji snapped as he walked further until he stopped by what used to be his house.

Sasuke followed Neji once again.

"Look, you have nowhere to go, neither do I. The 'smart' thing to do is stick together until we figure out where to go." He said, slightly annoyed by the way this guy was acting.

"Perhaps." Neji muttered, as he looked around. He took a few steps and knelt down by what he knew had once been their chimney. The stones were still there, the rest was gone. He already had had a bad feeling with living in a wooden house.

Sasuke looked at Neji, who was investigating the house. He could only imagine how it felt. He wasn't sure himself if he had lost his parents and he couldn't say that if that was the case, he was sad about it. How could he be, when he had no clue who they had been.

Neji walked through the house for some time, sometimes stopping to look somewhere or pick something up, and then continuing again. After some time he came walking back to Sasuke with a necklace in his hands, together with a knife his father always carried with him. When he had picked that up, he knew that the bodies of his parents had been right under his hands, burned to ash. He had said a little prayer, and promised himself to go into mourning soon.

"..I'm done here." He then said to Sasuke, looking up to the stranger in front of him.

Sasuke looked back at Neji and then nodded.

"I'm sorry for your loss." He said, not really sure what else to say now.

"…It's fine." Neji said as he nodded a little. "But thanks."

"... We should try and find a new city." Sasuke said. "And a little further then we'd like, because whatever did this could still be around."

"It didn't kill us now, so I doubt it kills us another time either." Neji said. "...He was killing everyone that crossed his path. And I definitely crossed his path, he looked right into my eyes. Anyway, I do agree with you to look for a new city to live in. The thing is, I never left the village. I don't know where to search. And I highly doubt that you are very useful for this goal."

Sasuke scowled at Neji for the last comment, even though he knew Neji was right. For some reason he didn't like being called useless at all. And for some reason, the word 'goal' rang a bell.

"Well I guess if we just keep walking we have to end up in a city sooner or later." Sasuke said.

"I hope we will." Neji replied as he nodded shortly. "And let's hope we will cross some people as well. Do you have any excellent skills that you do remember or is your head empty right now?"

"My head is never empty." Sasuke said, a hint of being offended was clear in his voice. "But I don't remember. I told you, I don't remember anything except my name. And age. Let's get going." He started walking towards the end of the city. Or at least what was left of it.

Neji let out a barely hear able sigh as he looked at the city one more time. After a final goodbye, he walked after Sasuke. Time to move on.