Mio Bambinos,
Hope everyone is doing well.
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A couple of miles in, Sakura slowed her pace. She looked up at the skies- at least of what she could make out of it- the tall branches of the forest engulfing the sky. 'If I keep it up, I'll make it in 5 days top.' She reassured herself.
Lost in thought, she brought herself back to what Naruto said earlier. 'When did Sasuke come into my apartment?' She doesn't ever remember him stopping by. She brought her fingertips to her chin, 'Now that I think about it, I don't remember clearing up my mess last night, but when I woke up, they were binned.'
''Whatever, as expected he didn't see me off, and here he was talking about reconsolidating.'' She spat bitterly. She was stern and rigid with her decision; she has no inkling of ever rebinding with him. Yes, she has faltered at times, a part of her that still slightly liked him-slightly, but he couldn't be excused for his actions; he hasn't even apologised yet.
Somewhere further down the South East of the Land of Fire, Sakura sauntered down the overgrown and uneven path. The branches curled, snarled yet noble, standing tall. It was overspreading and unrestrained, entangling everything in its path.
The musical psithurism of the leaves and foliage ringing in her ears; the wind playing celestial symphonies through the pines. As spring gives way to fall, the leaves were tainted amber, beginning to crisp and shrivel.
Something yellow caught her eye on the ground, resting beneath the oak trees. She bent down, brushing her thumb against some wet leaves. Plucking one, she held it against her nose. ''Asipilia''. These medical leaves were useful for blocking infection and bleeding, speeding up the process of healing wounds. She carefully plucked them, wrapping them in cloth and placing it into her bag. She got up and examined the ground ahead for any indication of the road paving, still some time until it floors. The travel was somewhat peaceful yet eery. As a shinobi her instinct is always on edge, waiting for something to occur.
.
.
''I can't believe you never saw her off Sasuke.'' He stated in disbelief. Sasuke grumbled in response. Just completing a spurring session, the two boys were catching their breath on the grass.
Naruto faced Sasuke, carrying a serious gaze, ''sometimes, you should put your pride aside and do what's right.'' Sasuke knew he was right, and that annoyed him even more, but he just didn't know how to verbalise what he wants to say, his upbringing being the main culprit…
But Naruto never had the best childhood either and here he was, the complete opposite of him.
''I know, and I plan to do so when she returns.''
''Do what?''
''Something I should have done a long time ago.''
.
.
A couple of hours in, Sakura noticed the sky starting to darken, the orange gold stretches far and wide across the canvas of a sky. The quietening of the birds, just enough to announce the coming sunset.
She was nearing civilisation as she eyed the cobblestones on the ground. The path caving in more, indicating a road people use often. As she neared further out of the forest, she looked down from the high narrow mountain road. Noticing a small village down below, she smiled from the sight of it.
The village was a constellation of lights, as if each one was a star of Earth. In the hush of deepening blue that comes evening, the village was only just awakening, ever lit, ever awake. It was a small city, but its aura was resilient and great.
She skidded down the sloped mountain forest, eager to mingle with civilisation. She walked down the streets, admiring the liveliness. Food stands, bars and stores, the choices were unlimited. The store owners attempting to usher her into their shops. To her left, she noticed a tavern. Pushing the door open, she was welcomed with hundreds of conversations told in loud voices, yet it was all word-vomit, unable to decipher the dialogues. The crowd seemed young, the colours of the bottles and the glitter that finds every spark of light in the room.
Keeping her hooded cowl covering her head, not wanting to lower her guard, Sakura winds her way through the warm bodies to the bartender station.
''Can I get a glass of pomegranate juice?'' Eyeing Sakura, the bartender propped her arm on the table, protruding her chest outwardly, the inner corners of her bra barely holding in her breast. ''Honey, you're in a bar and you want juice?'' Sakura raised an eyebrow in response. ''Do you have the juice or not? It's not science, honey.'' Just when the bartender was about to retort, there was a loud crash behind them. Redirecting their gazes to the commotion, she noticed two men cornering a woman.
''Are you fucking deaf? Leave me alone.''
''Just cuz' you're pretty, you think you can act like a bitch, yeh?'' One of the men exploded. He was obviously intoxicated, hues of red painted all over his face and his balance thrown off as he failed to stand level. She glances around the bar, no-one bothering to step in. She looked back to the bartender, only to be greeted with a shrug and the blow of a blue bubble-gum.
''You're not going to do anything?''
She scoffed, raising her arms in defence and popping the bubble gum with her tongue, ''Honey, I don't get paid enough to be a wrestling security guard.'' Another sound of glass shattering, Sakura looked again, only to find the second man holding a shattered sharp glass bottle against the female.
The bartender blinked, only to find the rosette vanished from her stool.
The female flinched, closing her eyes waiting for the impact of the bottle, only to notice it never came. She peaked from one eye, witnessing a hooded female grabbing the man's wrist mid-air.
''I don't think that's a wise idea.'' Sakura remarked.
Taking no heed, he retorted, ''You bastard!'' as he squabbled in his held position. His intoxicated friend whipping out a pocket-knife, darting for Sakura. She flung a shuriken towards the weapon, diverting the direction and sending it straight into the wall. Using the opening, the man in her grasp switched the bottle to his left hand, in an attempt to cut Sakura. She yanked the bottom hem of his shirt, dragging it up, revealing his beer belly. His vision obstructed, he stabbed into his shirt. She brought the hem over his head, using the belt she briskly jerked from his waist's belt loop, strapping it around his encased head. She elbowed him in the face, plunging him to the floor.
The other man seizing the back of her hood along with her hair. Sakura grabbed his fisted hand, whirling herself around to face him. She aggressively bent his wrist back, satisfied at the crackling and crunching of his bones. She kneed him in the crotch, his eyes dilated, falling unconscious to the unbearable pain of a broken wrist and a throbbing genital organ.
She faced the girl.
''Are you okay?''
''Yes, thank you…'' She trailed off.
''It's okay. Men, right? Why do they exist?'' Sakura softly chuckled, attempting to lighten any uneasiness. The female appreciatively smiled at her. Sakura looked back to the crowd. After the commotion ended, the by-lookers continued their congregation as if nothing happened.
Grateful for their insouciant reaction, she walked back to the bartender, meeting her eyes as she gave Sakura a disgustingly untasteful smirk. Not wanting to know what's on her mind, Sakura sighed, ''Scrap the juice, could I get a single room for the night?''
Walking into the back, the bartender returned with a room key labelled '17'. Sakura handed the money and took the key in return. Looking up, she saw a cup containing red liquid.
''The pomegranate juice is on the house,'' She nodded at the two men half unconscious on the floor ''for that.'' Sakura smiled, gratefully taking the juice, heading for the flight of stairs to her room.
The room was disappointing to say the least, but you get what you paid for. It wasn't extremely big, but it had a small single wooden bed and a worn-out window. She locked the door, securing it with an extra door jammer, not that it would do anything effective, but it would give her time to prepare if she were to be in that situation. She walked across the room, noting the creakiness erupting from the oak wood floor. A bathroom attached to her right, small but convenient. She slightly opens the window, keeping the metal restrictors in place, welcoming the slight waft from the gap streaming through smoothly, the subtle soughs of the wind murmuring.
Unhooking her cloak, her shoes, and her bag, she gulped the juice down and fell back onto the bed. She granted her mind permission to daydream: her unforetold journey, the village-scape, the very strange bartender. She let her ears linger to the sound of the laughing children beyond the wall, and before she knew it, sleep submerged her entirely.
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A light-hearted chapter
Thanks for reading.
Ciao
-Grape