AN: I'm way too accustomed to calling the Leaf "Konoha," so just in case I do that...the Hidden Leaf Village is called Konoha(gakure no Sato) in Japanese.

Road to Cherry Blossoms

Twelfth Path

The Drive to Get Stronger Arc: Anxiety

I was fine traveling in water the last time, but now I feel seasick, possibly more for the fact we're getting closer to Water every second. The sea used to smell so salty until my nose got used to it (but it hurts dully) and the air around it feels cooler. Dipping my finger on the water's surface, I jerk back from the coldness of it.

I go back to resting on the boat's railing. This boat we're in is a fisherman's boat, just as big as five of the last boat Team 7 took to Water. Its floor is a mix of dirt (mostly mud), dried salt, and the oils of fish. It had smelled terrible but thanks to a little thing called odor fatigue...

From my spot, I sense movement close by to me. My aching stomach doesn't give me the motivation to look over and see, but they soon speak, "Are you alright, Sakura?"

That's Hinata. "Fine as can be," I get out.

"Maybe you should go lie down? The sun's not up yet...so you can rest."

"No. Thanks, though. I don't want to puke all over the place," I say with a forced laugh.

Honestly, Hanami has never left the room. She finds this place way too gross to walk around in, and even if I'm curious about her, I can't really stand annoying people.

"...are you sure this is seasickness?"

Her comment makes me snap to her hesitant face. "Huh?"

"Um, well, I heard about your n-nightmares and the closer we get, the more I can sense anxiety from you." She stares at her thin fingers, shifts her feet. "You've been to Water before, right? It's where the N-Naruto Bridge is. That's all I ever heard from the mission."

Our first C-Rank (well, A-Rank now) is heavily classified. I couldn't tell anyone and I don't think I can now.

"Don't be so worried, Hinata," I say, putting on a smile. "I'm glad I'm with you guys this time. I'm confident in your skills."

Hinata smiles the tiniest bit. "I-I believe in your skills, too."

"Mine? Sorry, Hinata, but I don't have any yet."

"No, no. You do. You have all the help in the world. The world favors you more than me, after all..." Hinata turns red soon after, bows hurriedly, and runs away. I'm too weak to chase after her.

"'The world favors you more than me?'" I rest my head in my arms. What did she mean by that? That's wrong - Sasuke left Konoha and Naruto left to go train, leaving me all alone here. Neither one of them expected me to get stronger at all! They kept speaking of their own strength and assumed I was going to stay weak forever.

Grrrr, I feel like becoming so much stronger than them that they'll regret not expecting my strength! I'll - I'll learn genjutsu like Sensei said I had the potential for, Water Release to Sasuke's fire - but possibly Earth Release even though his lightning cuts through it. If that's not enough, I'll become a strategist - use my mind to my advantage. I got through Academy with just my brain and not my body so, heck, I can do it.

That means help from strategists. Shikamaru and his father are good candidates - plus Ino is really close to the Nara Clan.

Alright!

The sunlight chooses at this moment to break through the clouds, and I can hear the fisherman's distance voice: "New day among us. Get ready!"


Breakfast is a bag of cold trail mix.

"This is not food!" Hanami shouts. "What even is this?!"

"We can't eat too heavy," Kurenai-sensei says patiently. "We'll have to travel and you can get cramps from your still digesting food."

She eyes her bag of dried fruits, small pieces of chocolate, and grains. "This is awful! Grapes aren't supposed to look like old people's faces!"

"Hanami, eat your breakfast," Ouka says, feeding Sakan dried apple slices. "Be nice these people offered us anything to eat."

"This is not food!"

I hear Chiru mutter something sounding like a hiss or a swear, then hear him roll off his bed to his feet, and appear behind Hanami. "Eat the food or starve. No one cares."

His sister startles at his appearance, but tries to cover it up. "You're not the boss of me. I can do whatever I want."

"No, no you really can't. And I am the boss of you. Are you going to eat or not?"

The girl has monstrous pride. She hands him her bag with a humph. I can't believe she's willing to go hungry just because of something as ridiculous as this. Is this arrogance? Or...plain stupidity?

Kurenai-sensei watches the pouting girl with a sigh; Kiba just devours the remainder of his bag and lies in his bed, covering his head with a pillow. No one seems too eager to talk some sense into her.

What makes a person act like this?

I search my bag for something, and end up finding a chestnut anpan still unopened. There's a note on the front of it: Have a good day, petals. I reach over the gap between her bed and the one most of Team 7 sits and eats on. "Eat this at least."

Hanami glances at the mysterious, brown package. "What's that?"

"Anpan. This one has chestnuts inside it."

Her brown eyes light up. "You're giving that to me?"

"Yes, I don't want you to starve - " She grabs it and starts to eat, not even saying thank you.

If she's gonna act like THAT, screw helpin' her!

I simply grit my teeth and accidentally look at Chiru who rests on the bed behind her. His expressionless, black eyes look ominous in the shadows.

"Thank you, Sakura," Ouka smiles. "Hanami, could you give Sakan a small piece?"

The anpan is almost all gone. "No."

Ouka steals a bite anyways.


"Land, ho! Land, ho!"

I thought the only words to make me ecstatic were the words: "I love you too, Sakura" or "fifty percent off all candy that won't ruin your diet!" I was wrong.

"We're leaving!" I shout, my voice squeaking.

"Geez," the fisherman mumbles, "couldn't wait til ya got off to shout that?"

"S-Sorry. It's not you - or your boat - it's me."

Hanami scoffs as she walks up the stairs and to the deck, parasol in hand. "You and your boat are the problem."

That's my cue to ignore her.

Hiraku inhales a big gulp of sea air and sighs. "Tidal Village, here we come!"

"You're pretty happy, huh?" I say, feeling cold sweat down my neck.

"To go back home?" he says with a quirked eyebrow. I nod. "Nope. I just wanted to see Ma again. We moved away for a reason, yanno."

"Oh...what happened?"

He sucks in a breath. "Uh...the environment is not suited for kids. And it also borders the Hidden River Village. That border is rivers. Rivers that turn and fall so harshly is looks more like white foam than crystal blue. As a warning, do not go anywhere near those rivers. People have...died in them." He starts the last sentence hesitant, but realizing we're shinobi, he gets more confident.

Kurenai-sensei nods. "Up ahead is the beach. We'll go through the beach and a small marsh before we get to Tidal Village. You say there's genjutsu specialists in there?"

"Quite a bit two years ago," Ouka confirms. "I do wonder if they got that onsen fixed. It can be very cold at night..."

Kurenai-sensei smiles at me with closed eyes. "Are you excited, Sakura? We'll begin your training soon. This is not only a training field trip, but a cultural one as well." She starts sounding like a teacher. "Genjutsu from the Leaf is a lot different from genjutsu in Water. Not just in their creations, but their uses and effects. Genjutsu in the Leaf is usually plant-based and in Water, it's usually water-based."

"So it's perfect for me because I'm learning Water Release soon," I finish.

"Yes. Unfortunately, I've only trained in Yin Release and Wind Release..."

"Yin Release? What's that?" I only know of the main 5.

"...in short," she says, picking her words carefully, "it is the spiritual energy that doesn't fall into the usual 5. Most genjutsu are usually Yin Release. It's a very difficult Release to learn, but you take on it quite well."

Oh, interesting. Water, Fire, and Yin. Triple threat. They're going to be so jealous.

But not right now. They're not jealous of me going back to Water again.

Someone short pushes me out the way. " - this old dreadful place!"

"Hanami, what are you doing?!"

"Looking," she huffs. "Your big head was in the way."

"Look here - !"

"If you're so worried about learning genjutsu, just go to the Hidden River Village's Academy," she interrupts. "It's open to learners."

...my body calms down a bit. "Thanks...?"

"All you have to do is cross our deadly rivers to and from. I'll have you know no one's ever crossed without some kind of injury."

"Are you trying to get me killed?!"

"Correction, I said you could learn genjutsu here. If you die, you can't really blame me." Hanami closes her parasol shuts when she finishes.

I remember vaguely how I go onto Kiba for being rude. "Seriously, what is your problem, kid?"

"I am fourteen, not a kid, ugly." Her cheeks turns bright red not from embarrassment. "I don't want to be here! I never asked to come back! But the miracle of life is sooo important to these people, I'm forced to go back! I'm gonna complain all I want; blame them for taking me here!"

"Hanami, stop it," Ouka hisses. "This is for your grandmother. She could have died years ago, but she's still here today. I know you're upset about this. Please support the longevity of your dear grandmother."

Hanami screams in frustration. "I hate all you stupid people!"

She throws her parasol on the floor and stalks back to her room. Baby Sakan starts crying in his father's arms, Ouka apologizes again, and Chiru goes after her, reluctant at first.

The fishermen looks around. "Goodness. Good thing we're near land. Um, about my pay?"