Yeah, an update. I decided to try to write something before I lost inspiration for writing all together. I don't mean to scare anyone into thinking this fic is in danger of being discontinued, because it's not. But I've been hearing from some antis lately, both with signed in and guest reviews, and it really felt like the nail in the coffin on top of everything else. You can imagine how fed up I was at that point. I actually sort of wanted to stay away from writing for another month or so after last update.
Then after all that happened, I wanted to say "fuck it" and quit fanfic writing after finishing my current stories. I had a lot of future fics I was excited to do, but now that's really up in the air. It's supposed to be a fun hobby, not something that leads to getting hate. Again, the fic isn't being discontinued, but I'm still dealing with school, work and depression, among other things, so please be patient if I occasionally take some breaks. Sorry this isn't a more enthusiastic "I'm back!" but I still just don't have one of those in me, I guess.
[Small Edit*: Thank you to everyone who yelled in their reviews at future naysayers on my behalf. I appreciate the passion and firm support. But you don't have to waste reviews telling them off. They're not even worth that. They piss me off with what they do and I've blocked several now, but I'd rather hear from readers about the fic itself :)]
But I really, really want to say thank you for all the amazingly kind people who have been so supportive, both here and on tumblr. I can't express how much that means. I think if it weren't for all of you, I truly would've just deleted everything by now. But I can keep going, little by little, because of the warmth of the pro-Sakura community.
There was something to be said about the amount of energy the crew possessed. It didn't wane at all when the sun started to dip on the horizon. If anything, once the mugs were passed around and the expanse of sky settled into an orange-pink glow, it only amplified.
Sakura found herself pulled into the festivities, handed a tumbler almost overflowing with fizzing amber liquid that smelled nothing like any alcohol she knew of. Joben had called it sake, but this was far from it…
A green-haired woman who had introduced herself not even ten minutes prior as Ai threw a muscled arm around her shoulders, bringing Sakura in closer and singing loudly in her ears. The whole ship was belting the verses of a sea-song unlike anything she'd ever heard. Noticing that everyone else was imbibing, Sakura took a tentative sip of alcohol, managing something she hoped was more akin to a smile and not a grimace to Ai, who had them swaying back and forth.
It wasn't honey wine…that was for sure. Whatever had been offered was more on the sour side with a faint, burning sensation and an aftertaste reminiscent of apples. Unexpected, but after taking a minute to let the taste settle, Sakura decided it wasn't unpalatable and had another sip.
"Good stuff, eh?" Ai's husky voice filled her ear.
"Mmph!" Sakura coughed some of the drink out when Ai delivered a swift smack to the middle of her back, catching her off guard.
Not minding, she continued, "The capt'n's favorite, it is. Nice and strong, but just a lil' sweet enough for ya not to mind the burn much once it goes down."
"He called it sake." Sakura licked at the droplets around her lips after pulling the tumbler away. "But this doesn't taste like it…it doesn't really look like it either."
"Special sake." Ai agreed. "Not like whatcha can get from the mainland, but it's popular far, far away in certain places. Capt'n Joben had it at a tavern an' raved about it for weeks! He got a cravin' for it after that, so now we stockpile barrels of the stuff." Ai snatched a second tumbler from a sailor that already looked tipsy who stumbled by, draining the contents herself and then shoving the empty mug back into the man's hands. "Drink up!" she encouraged. "Long trip ahead. No sense spendin' it dry."
Everyone on deck was certainly following that philosophy at the moment. Sakura was impressed at just how much had already been put away by the rowdy sailors. Joben was one of the loudest. He stood behind the helm, wheel gripped tight in one hand and mug raised high in the other, leading the songs. On a particularly sharp note he chugged hard, the amber liquid that missed his mouth dribbling down his bare chest.
Aside from Junko, who stood off to the side, holding a tumbler on a tray aloft over her head and bending down to speak to the captain's son, it didn't appear anyone had chosen not to partake. At first glance, anyway…
Another perusal of the ship revealed the absence of a certain Uchiha. Sakura gently shrugged away from Ai, doing a full spin, and even craning her head back to squint up at the crow's nest, unlikely as it was that he'd be there.
"Lookin' for your partner?" Junko had come up behind her, a pouting Kazu trailing after her. Up close, she could finally see the resemblance to Joben, if only slightly. He possessed a softer face, unmarred by the rough life of a seaman, but the red-tinted color to the brown hair that brushed his shoulders was the same shade as the captain's, and he had the same shape to his hazel eyes. "It's not that he has to be here," she was quick to clarify. "Wherever he is, he can stay there."
"Below deck in the cabins." Junko smiled sympathetically. "I'm use ta the ruckus these fools raise when they get drink in their guts. But it ain't for everyone. Don't blame him for wantin' to be away from it. Seems like the type that likes the quiet. Thought I'd bring 'em this just in case, though."
"I said I'd take it!" Kazu stood on the tips of his toes and reached for the tray futilely. Junko's arm span was well out of the boy's reach. She bent down and pinched his cheek firmly, pulling it.
"Boy, you must think I've been drinking seawater." The cook laughed. "I give you this and the first thing you'll do is try n' sneak a sip. Don't think I'm not wise to you."
Kazu's ears turned pink. He avoided Junko's eyes, pouting harder. "Can I…can I at least come with you, then?"
"Only if you're willing to help peel potatoes." she answered, starting on her way again. "Once the drinkin's done, it'll be time to start supper."
Kazu groaned, tugging at his hair. "I just wanna talk to a real ninja!"
Junko turned her head, "There's one right in front of you, isn't there?"
The little boy turned to give Sakura his full attention, eyes bright. "Y-yeah! You're a ninja too!" Sakura didn't have time to be offended that her status as a career shinobi was an afterthought when he began bouncing around her, rattling off questions, "What's it like? Do you really throw stars? How many people did ya kill?" He was so excited, he didn't seem to notice the presence looming behind him, but Sakura immediately saw her.
Ai, who had gone off at some point to refill her tumbler, came up behind Kazu to clap him on the shoulder. "Try givin' our guest some space, Kazu-chan."
Ironically, Sakura thought, it was Ai who had practically been embracing her in drunken revelry not so long ago. She seemed slightly more mellowed, although the pink tint to her cheeks suggested she wasn't completely sober. It wouldn't surprise Sakura in the least to find that the Harbinger was full of barely functioning alcoholics.
"I'm nine now, so don't call me 'chan' anymore!" Kazu complained, flailing to get away. "An' anyways, I just wanted to know what a ninja's really like. I never seen one before." He wandered closer to Sakura again, and she eyed him warily when he leaned toward her.
Being that he was only a child, his head barely came to her stomach, and when he was in a half-crouch, it was even lower than that. Uncomfortably so. When she felt a small hand reach out and ghost against her leg, she acted on impulse, smacking blindly.
"Pervert!" Sakura screamed, vision momentarily clouding. When she blinked away the anger enough to realize who her victim was, she found Ai laughing and Kazu…
Kazu laid sprawled on deck, a fresh red imprint across his right cheek and stars in his eyes. "I just…I just wanted to see how you moved in that." He mumbled.
"Well," Sakura planted her feet as the ship lurched, arms akimbo. "You could do that without touching." Her annoyance devolved to worry as the boy slowly sat up and she noticed his cheek was quickly swelling. Biting her lip, she reached for him, preparing to heal the injury.
"Ah, boy'll be fine." Sakura stopped and saw Joben sauntering over, attracted by the commotion. A skinny man was at the helm now, idly steering the ship. For a man of his girth, he moved faster than expected. "Sorry if my no-manners son offended ya. He's thick-headed like his father."
The kunoichi shook her head, reaching for Kazu once again. "I overreacted. Here," Predictably, he flinched away.
Kazu raised his arms up to protect his face, peeking at Sakura from the space between. "Y-You gonna smack me again?"
"That really was just reflex." Sakura insisted. "If you let me, I'll heal it."
"How?" he asked, suddenly curious.
Sakura wordlessly activated her technique, bringing a steady hand to the boy's swollen face as Joben and Ai looked on, mesmerized. She couldn't help but laugh a little as Kazu's once apprehensive expression was overcome by a dopey grin.
"Well, blow me down…" Joben exclaimed from behind her. "Ninja sure are mighty impressive!"
"Ya really can use chakra for just about anythin'. Woulda taken a couple of days for that to disappear otherwise," Ai nodded.
Kazu felt his face, poking and prodding. "Feels like it never happened!" Hopping up, he stretched his arms above his head. It wasn't long before he was zipping around the deck, almost crashing into half-drunk sailors several times.
"That boy," Joben shook his head, but there was an undeniable fondness in his voice. "Anyways," he proclaimed, eying Sakura. "It'll be a while yet before Junko's done. Don't 'spose you'd fancy a little test o' strength in the meantime."
"I'm listening…"
"Round here there ain't no better way to wash down a few drinks then with a friendly competition of arm wrestlin'!" Joben flexed, and Sakura had to admit that even for a man that was possibly over forty, the work he did around the ship gave him impressive muscle toning.
"Did I hear right? The captain's challenging the lady ninja?" Startled, Sakura looked up where the shout had come from. Sliding down the ropes of the sails was a bare-footed man with an eager look in his eyes.
"You heard that from all the way up there?" Sakura pointed. "Even with the wind in your ears?"
"My job is to keep my ears to the wind, miss. But I hear nearly everything all the same, especially challenges. I go by Inoue." he saluted. "And I'd like to see how a shinobi goes up against the most rough n' tumble man on the seas."
"What do ya say?" Ai wheedled. "Interestin' huh?"
Sakura placed a finger to her bottom lip. "I don't see the harm." Deep inside, a competitive fuse had been lit, and she flexed her own arm with a steadily widening smirk. "Sure, I'll take you on!"
"Not so fast, little lady!" Inoue wagged a finger. "There's an order to this things, ya see. Challengin' the captain comes last. Ya gotta go through the other challengers first."
Her brow dipped in skepticism. "Other…challengers? Like who?"
"Like us!" At least ten more sailors in various states of drunkenness were suddenly closing in on them, raring to go. It almost seemed unfair to have the advantage of a clear mind and her raw strength, but, their ship their rules.
"Backin' down?" Joben asked, sounding disappointed.
"Who do I go through first?" Sakura's answer roused cheers from the crew, crates dragged to the middle of the deck along with two stools. She took a seat on one, and Ai, still a little uneasy on her feet, skipped over, settling herself on the other.
"Ai, uh, are you sure?" Sakura could see she still looked a little…impaired, for lack of a better word.
"M'fiiine!" she drawled. "I've handled sword fights after drinking more n' this."
"Ya nearly split yourself open, trying to hold the pointy end!" someone called.
"Oh, drink piss," Ai swore, placing her elbow on the crate, clenching and unclenching her fist. "I may not be the strongest here, but I won't insult ya by givin' you less than my best."
Seeing that her opponent was determined to go through with it, Sakura eased her hand into Ai's before squeezing tight. Admittedly, she was impressed that the hand grasped in hers only buckled for a second before it squeezed back. Hard. Some of the fogginess had left the sailor's eyes.
Inoue hovered close, the unofficial officiator. "Steady now…steady…and…go!"
Suddenly they were grappling one-handed, Sakura silently marveling at the fact that Ai was notably strong, even drunk. But, she had arm-wrestled against the best. Her mentor.
"This is unexpected, although not really." The head of the Inuzuka sighed. "Please, take a seat." The room Izuna was led into was dimly lit and sparsely furnished. It had only been a few days since they'd settled in the village though.
Izuna sat himself on the tatami mat closest to the door, nodding in appreciation. "Thank you for agreeing to this on such short notice, Tsuba-san."
As acting head in Madara's absence, it fell to Izuna to carry out the will of the clan. And, presently that was investigating what truth there were to the rumors that members of the Kaguya now resided in Konoha. There'd been stirrings of restlessness within the Uchiha, some suggesting taking a complaint to the Hokage. But bringing forth a grievance without fully knowing the situation seemed like a waste of his time. To placate those among the elders who groused the loudest, he agreed to see for himself, if nothing else.
Tobirama Senju had nearly been the death of him.
But the whispers circulating throughout the village also named him as the one in charge of the Kaguya. No doubt wherever the alleged prisoners were being held, it was somewhere under his watchful eye. The trouble was how to confirm anything. Waltzing his way into the Senju compound was problematic for obvious reasons. And though he could ask the Hokage, who would likely be more forthcoming with information and sympathetic to his clan's wariness, it hadn't yet escalated to the point where Izuna felt he needed to be involved.
There was one other party that was repeatedly mentioned in village gossip. The Inuzuka, who had become involved. Izuna had no idea how he'd be received if he approached them for information. Tales of their barbaric customs were commonplace. He had grown up hearing the Inuzuka ran naked through the woods, could transform into terrible creatures and occasionally stole and ate babies when food was scarce for them.
Of course he knew better than to take those at face value. Rumor still had it that an Uchiha would would kill the person closest to them as a coming of age ritual, in order to take their eyes and obtain a more powerful Sharingan. If that theory was to be believed, eye theft ran rampant in the clan. In short, hearsay was not only unreliable, but outright false.
It was pure chance that he encountered the clan head, walking through the village with her ninken. The red fangs on her cheeks made her easily distinguishable as an Inuzuka, but it was the deference she was given by the others of her clan who accompanied her that made him suspect she was indeed the clan matriarch.
He had approached and introduced himself. Inwardly, he was embarrassed to be speaking to her on the basis of a rumor. However, it quickly turned to surprise when she not only confirmed it as truth, but agreed to allow him to speak to the Kaguya briefly that same evening. Izuna found her much more gracious and agreeable than he could have ever expected. Still, he wasn't fooled into thinking she was a pushover. There was a contained ferocity in her eyes, just under the surface.
Even as he sat waiting, Izuna knew better than to think he wasn't being closely watched. "Of course. Your concerns are understood. I'll be back with them momentarily."
When she left, Izuna had time to sit and think of who exactly she'd return with. There hadn't been much discussion about specifics, but she'd assured him that the Kaguya she was responsible for meant no harm to the village. Given his history with them, that was hard to believe without speaking to them himself. That was if they would speak at all. He was an Uchiha, and any Kaguya who saw him would know that.
The sound of multiple voices in the hall made him lift his head. They were quickly growing closer, and Izuna thought in bewilderment that they sounded so...young. Were these Kaguya children?
When the rice paper doors slid open and not one, but two young girls stepped through, followed by Tsuba and a white-haired young man who looked vaguely familiar, he got his answer.
While he was still recovering from his surprise, the older girl stepped forward, scrutinizing him with hostile eyes. "Who's he?" she demanded, eyebrows slumped downward.
"He is here to see you," Tsuba said coolly.
Izuna gave the feisty girl a cordial smile, which only made her eyes narrow further. "Hello, my name is—"
"Izuna..."
The Uchiha met eyes with the boy who had uttered his name, confusion morphing into recognition. "Jun'ichi..."
Their acknowledgement of each other came as a surprise to the room's three other occupants. Tsuba and the two girls looked back and forth, the Inuzuka matriarch giving voice to the silent question shared between them. "You've met before?"
"Long ago, as children..." Jun'ichi answered. "It was well before the two of you were born."
I see," Tsuba rubbed her chin. "Fate is a mysterious thing."
Jun'ichi sat next to Izuna, neither speaking. After considering his next words, the Kaguya opened his mouth, "Are you here because of the recent incident between our clans? They say the sins of the father are the sins of the son after all."
"No...The gunbai is back in my brother's possession. Holding grudges over something already resolved would be trivial." He noticed that the stiffness in Jun'ichi's posture lessened.
"So...Oka and the others were really shinobi of Konoha." he whispered. Hair obscured half his face as he rested his chin on his knuckles, deep in thought. Izuna didn't completely understand where Jun'ichi's mind was going, but it seemed to be headed there fast, because when he lifted his face, there was clarity in those brown eyes. Clarity and...hope.
"Kikue can't feel her..." the smallest child pouted.
"It doesn't mean she doesn't live here." her sister replied, "Ninja do leave their villages sometimes."
"Is that what you did?" Izuna couldn't think of any other reason Yoshiro would send his children to Konoha. He could have just as easily sent an army, instead of risking his heir.
"There was nothing left for us there. The way of my father is outdated. It's something we wanted to part with. Our intentions were originally to strike out on our own, living freely for as long as possible. Until father came for us, or..." Whatever else Jun'ichi had expected would happen to them, he left unsaid, instead gently stroking the head of his youngest sister. "...Izuna, I want you to understand that I can't fully atone for what my clan has done. Which is why we've given ourselves over to Konoha willingly. If being prisoners is what comes of it...then I don't mind."
The reactions of his sisters'...varied.
"Exactly. You don't mind."
"Kikue doesn't mind either! Because she gets to play with Yoyo-chan!"
"What made you decide to try? You say you understand that you might never be fully forgiven. But you were so adamant about attempting to distance yourself from your clan, you allowed yourself to become a prisoner." Izuna stared in quiet disbelief. "I think you've changed since we last met."
"Indeed." There was total serenity in the eldest Kaguya's eyes. "To be blunt, I never put much effort into anything before. Changing was...futile to me. No matter what I did, my ancestors left behind a bloody legacy I'd one day inherit, and there was nothing I could do about that. I told myself I felt nothing, I turned a blind eye to every one of my father's atrocities...even...even my own mother's death." Taking a moment to compose himself, Jun'ichi pressed on. "Then she came and...She had so much passion. I could never have such a strong will, but watching her made me want...to be less passive."
"Nee-san believed in us!" Kikue proclaimed. "So...even just a little, we can believe in ourselves."
That took some mulling over. Something had moved these three to leave the comforts of everything the'd known behind and enter hostile territory, motivated by the desire to change.
Sakura had mentioned that Jun'ichi was instrumental in helping them escape, and it had just seemed so unlike the sullen boy he remembered. Yet so many years had passed since then that such a radical change wasn't outside the realm of possibility. Furthermore, if he recalled correctly, Jun'ichi was only a year younger than himself, making him nineteen to his twenty. They were both young men now. Old enough to shoulder clan responsibilities, to lead raids, to take wives...
When he mentioned this "Oka" something lit up in him, and Izuna couldn't help but wonder if he meant...Sakura. Was it so unreasonable to think that while on a mission she would have used an alias? Or even a full body henge? Pink hair and the small purple diamond seal were rather notable. Concealing them would have been the most prudent thing.
Assuming he was correct in his thinking, it still left something else uncomfortable hanging in the air.
Since childhood, Izuna had always possessed what he considered a healthy dose of curiosity. The world was a vast place, full of knowledge both good and bad. To him, nothing had ever been wrong with wanting to take in as much as possible. His brothers would laugh when his searches for answers led him to getting in trouble with their father. And when his questions were too frequent, Madara would pointedly tell him to shut up. But it was a cathartic sensation to know.
In fact, one of the traits he admired most in Sakura, one of the reasons he deduced talking to her came so easily, was because she was the same. When she asked him about the gunbai he could see it in her eyes.
For the first time he could recall, Izuna wasn't sure he wanted to know. Jun'ichi had shown more emotion in the span of several minutes, in large part due to "Oka" then he could ever remember him showing in the week he'd known him as boys. If Oka was Sakura, then he didn't want to know why Jun'ichi had developed such a fixation on her. The surface level understanding was that she had inspired him. Underneath, however... Did it mean anything else? Was there a reason he should even concern himself with it beyond that?
Funny how he had come to secure some kind of reassurance for his clan, and ended up making things uncomfortable for himself...
Sakura ground her teeth, trying to ignore the clamoring of shouts around them. She'd worked her way through eight opponents so far. Each stronger than the last, but ultimately no match for her grit, strength and latent competitive streak. Now on her ninth, the crew was worked into a fervor, almost no one cheering for the man who sat across from her, straining with all his might, face red in exertion. She felt sorry for him. They should've been cheering for him, but instead...
"SA-KU-RA!"
"SA-KU-RA!"
There was no doubt their screams reverberated below deck. Anyone on the ship not witnessing the competition was participating by proxy. Their hot-blooded enthusiasm must have rubbed off on her, combining with the adrenaline rushing through her veins, because all she wanted in that moment was to keep her streak alive. A bead of sweat trickled down her brow, and with a determined cry, Sakura stood, slamming Gintaki's arm down on the crate.
That had been her intention, at least. But in all the excitement, she'd used too much force, and he crashed through not only the crate they were bracing against, but the deck itself, sending broken wood flying as he fell through the hole with a scream. All the cheering died in an instant, replaced by a collective gasp.
Horrified, Sakura was the first to scramble to the edge of hole and peek down. "S-Sorry!" she called into the void.
"Iss alright!" Gintaki yelled back, sounding winded. "Somethin' down here broke my fall!"
"Someone bring a light!" Joben ordered.
Inoue came with a lantern, dangling it over the deep drop below deck and illuminating the faces gathered around it. The lantern's reach didn't extend far enough to completely light where Gintaki had fallen. Not enough to see everything, but it was enough to see two glowing red pinpricks in the dark.
"W-What...?" Kazu gasped.
"Get off." Sakura recognized the baritone, heard the quiet but very tangible rage. Gintaki screamed again, this time as he went flying across the cabin. Sakura crawled backwards, a sense of foreboding creeping up her spine as the red pinpricks looked upwards, becoming the unmistakable sight of a blazing Sharingan. "Haruno," he rumbled.
Sakura was unlucky enough to find herself the target of all the enmity. It made sense, although she was reluctant to admit that. They were chanting her name, and then a sailor dropped down on him from above deck after crashing through the ceiling. Madara was smart enough to put two and two together.
Nearly choking on her own saliva, Sakura quickly stood, stumbling away from the hole. It was an accident, but he likely wasn't in the mood to hear it.
The sound of the hatch opening made everyone jump, no doubt expecting it to be Madara, coming to exact revenge. Instead Junko's head popped up. It was obvious by the glare on her face that she'd heard the crash. Nevertheless, the crew didn't move, instead adopting innocent facades that were completely out of place on the faces of such a rough, motley group.
"What the hell is going on up here?!" That was when she laid eyes on the sight of the gaping hole. "Oi! Are you all hoping I wouldn't see that!" For the first time, Sakura could see why everyone seemed to give Junko so much room. She was brandishing her ladle at them all, her ears flaming red and murder in her eyes.
Realizing everyone was huddled together, petrified, Sakura bravely stepped forward, raising her hand. "Actually...it was...it was me."
Junko lowered her ladle in shock. "You? You seem like such a sensible one. I didn't think these seadogs would get you swept up in their antics." Ashamed, Sakura bowed her head. "Ah, well all can be forgiven if you help me spoon out the stew. Fair enough?" Junko winked.
Perking up, Sakura nodded emphatically. "Yes, thank you!" She wasn't sure what had come over her, but if Junko was willing to let it slide as long as she helped serve food, then Sakura would take the slap on the wrist for what it was. As she began following Junko below deck and to the kitchens, she glanced backwards at the crew. She meant to give them a chastising look, but when she noticed the awed gazes of respect, any feelings of irritation disappeared. They were a lot to handle, easily overwhelming. In the end though, they weren't as bad as they could have been...
Dinner turned out to be meat and potato stew, served with a hunk of bread and more alcohol. As a guest aboard the ship, Sakura tried her best not to cause anymore trouble for Junko, and graciously accepted the food. As a medic, she was growing steadily more concerned for the crew's livers. The vessel was sailing idly through the waves, and the clear night sky was speckled in stars.
Finally, the excitement had settled after sunset and the crew was enveloped in an odd peace, scattered on deck and making small talk as they ate. The kunoichi joined them, knowing Madara likely wouldn't and not wanting to seem like Konoha nin were ungracious. Strangely, it was nice...there was an appealing atmosphere about it all, a sense of community. The tang of salt in her nose and the soft lapping of the water against the sides of the ship helped her understand why the men and women who lived and sailed on the Harbinger spoke so fondly of the sea.
"So lass, ya ever been ta the Land of Water?" Joben asked, slurping down more stew.
Sakura, knowing full well she couldn't tell them about her disastrous "C-rank" mission as a genin, smiled wanly. Something told her the crew would have been absolutely riveted by the story. "I've heard lots of stories, but...this'll be my first trip there."
Joben slammed down his mug. "Stories, you say?"
There was a collective good-natured groan from the entire crew, including Kazu, who had taken up residence near her feet. "What's wrong with stories?" Sakura asked with caution. Maybe there was a custom to storytelling on ships she was unaware of.
"Our good cap'n loves his tall tales." Ai explained. "Got ones from all over the world. All up here." She lightly tapped the side of her head, Joben nodding proudly in agreement.
"Thas right. Now, this lot o' mine don't always appreciate the finer art of storytellin', but you're a smart lass, ain't cha? You'll listen to an old man's tales."
Sakura could feel curiosity clawing its way free, prompting her to lean forward. "All over the world? Really? Then you probably know stories from Water Country too."
Realizing he held a captive audience, Joben's eyes grew round in delight. "Aye miss, plenty. But none's more famous n' more scary than the tale o' the one that laid the curse upon them islands. Iwanagahime."
"Iwanagahime?" The mark hidden on the inside of her wrist burned hot. Sakura hissed quietly, covering it with a fast hand. A little healing chakra and the mark's burning sensation dulled to a sporadic throb. 'What does that mean...?'
"Don't tell me yer headin' to that place an' ya never heard tell of the goddess." Inoue clucked his tongue.
"Goddess" immediately got her attention.
Sakura tried not to get too offended, nibbling on her all but forgotten bread with a shrug. "I'm ignorant in these things. No one talks about island deities on the mainland."
"Well listen good lil' lady...the tale of Iwanagahime is a bitter one. Once upon o' a time, there was a god named Oyamatsumi. He's even older than Amaterasu, an' he's a god of mountain, seas, an'...war."
"We're seafolk, so we always leave our offerings for safe travels when we come to a place with one of his shrines." Gintaki said around a mouthful of stew.
"But ol' Oyamatsumi ain't the important one to this tale...Iwanagahime is." Joben cleared his throat. "That was his older daughter. He had two of 'em. Iwanagahime and Konohanasakuya-hime. They say the oldest had a sharp mind but the youngest had undeniable beauty. Oyamatsumi promised Iwanagahime to a young god named Nihongi. But before they could meet, he laid eyes on her sister, and that was that. Fell in love and left Iwanagahime shunned and vengeful. So she laid a curse...instead of the long lives we humans were meant to enjoy if she'd married Nihongi, now our lives are short. We live and die in an instant compared to a god."
Sakura sipped from her mug in silence. Hadn't Mizuchi...said that once?
"But there's more than even that, right chichi?" Kazu was almost rocking in place, and even in the dark, Sakura saw his big eyes sparkling.
"Aye," Joben stroked at his beard. "Like I said, Iwanagahime was the cleverer one. She wasn't gonna take a slight like that spittin'. This is the part that gets interestin'. The part the locals in Water Country tell. She knew her sister loved flowers, so she crafted up some so beautiful, Konohanasakuya-hime couldn't help but touch 'em. They were meant to be blue...at first. But then Konohanasakuya-hime pricked her finger on the sharp stem and bled...the red of 'er blood turned the blue flowers purples." The captain shook his head, resting his arms on his knees. "That's not all it did. It activated the curse. Now...ev'ry rainy season the violacia blooms somewhere in a hidden field on one o' the islands...and when they do, the dead rise up to kill the livin'."
"A more morbid ending than expected. But it's still a wives tale at best..." Several necks, including Sakura's strained to see Madara leaning casually against the side of the ship. With his stealth and the cover of night, there was no telling when he'd joined everyone above deck, or why, but Sakura was more concerned with the fact that she'd been too entranced to sense him.
Junko happily got up and handed him a bowl of stew and bread, pressing a drink into his free hand.
"Ah, come out to join us, eh?" Joben called, swilling down more of the "sake". He drew the mug from his lips and let out a loud belch that felt like it rocked the ship. "Maybe you don't believe, but this is a nice night for a wives tale, in'it?"
Sakura didn't think Madara would answer, but one shoulder rose briefly in a lackluster shrug.
"Not much for stories, are ya?" Junko chuckled. "Well, it's hard ta believe, that's for sure. One thing's true though. Iwanagahime's still important to the people of Water Country. Outside folk like us can only guess at why, but, if ya plan to go pokin' around on the island, ya best stay clear of all that."
There wasn't much of a shift in Madara's facial features as he dipped the piece of bread into his stew and took a bite. "Noted."
Sakura almost thought they would get through dinner in a truce. That he'd forgotten about earlier, when she'd inadvertently dumped a two-hundred pound sailor on him. By chance, their eyes met, and although his weren't currently red, it was very clear that he hadn't forgotten or forgiven anything. "Haruno. A word?"
She was a stubborn one, so he wasn't expecting compliance. The entire day they'd spent on the ship, she preferred the company of slovenly, rambunctious sailors to himself. It suited him just fine. He had time to himself in the cabins to prepare for the task ahead of getting two feuding island leaders to form a treaty, in the hopes that it could open new trade routes for Konoha. The temporary quiet and solitude had convinced him that, despite its state of disrepair and its crew, the ship did in fact have an upside.
And then the chant had started. Gradually the sound grew so loud until he couldn't but notice. They were cheering...for Haruno. Madara did his best to ignore it. A hard task in itself. No sooner had he reclaimed his train of thought than a shrill scream pierced the air, catching him off guard. The next thing he knew, he was being pinned beneath the weight of a sweaty man, and all he could focus on was the timid face of Haruno peeping down from the hole in the ceiling.
Hours later, Haruno climbed down into the belly of the ship, escorted by the cook. "I told your friend earlier...and he said ya'd manage fine, but...about the cabins..."
"We'll be sharing." Madara stepped from the shadows, and Haruno came to a screeching halt just short of bumping into him. Junko looked on worriedly. It didn't seem to be really sinking in. Haruno just stared blankly at his chest, her mouth moving but no words forming. Just as before, she looked up at him from beneath her lashes. Although there was a startingly different emotion there. Not confusion but outrage.
Sensing the impending explosion, he grabbed her arm and dragged her through the door as she became aware enough of what was going on to dig her heels in. "I'm not sharing a room with you!" she spat, green eyes dark with anger.
The discontent was mutual. Madara wasn't sure whether he trusted himself not to wrap his fingers around the column of her pale neck during the night, or whether his glee at her reaction would keep him sated for the rest of the trip. "You're more than welcome to the floor." Madara was feeling so victorious, he'd even give her the blankets to nest in.
Predictably, that only made her angrier, and in her intensely volatile state, she advanced on him, standing on her tiptoes until her nose was just under his. "You take the floor."
"Were you not the one that told me you prepared for every inevitability? Sleeping in your bedroll shouldn't be difficult. Or, test your luck in the other cabins. I hear they're sleeping three to a bed."
Haruno fumed, but didn't object. He'd successfully used her own words against her, and she turned her back on him, grumbling under her breath. As she took off her pack and began to set up for the night, Madara tugged his shirt over his head and removed his zori.
Haruno removed a scroll with an angry sigh, blowing a stray strand of hair from her eyes and glaring at him from the floor. That was, until she noticed his naked chest. The scroll poofed open, revealing her change of clothes, and she continued gaping at his chest slack-jawed.
"As a medic, should you not have seen a man's anatomy?"
Red-faced, she hurried to turn away, scooping her clothes into her arms and rushing out of the room.
There was a long night ahead of them, and Madara expected it to be more uncomfortable for one of them more than the other. Fortunately, he thought, it wouldn't be him.
A lot of people wanted ship scenes, and I really have been enjoying writing them, so that's why the majority of the chapter takes place on the ship. Plus I saw no need to rush the journey. I expect they will arrive some time next chapter though, which is when things get further complicated.
And of course, I hope everyone enjoyed some more Izuna scenes. I think he will unexpectedly turn up in this arc more than readers would probably imagine, so be prepared for that. This whole arc might have a lot more of the Uchiha clan as a whole popping up, now that I think of it. Since there's been a lot of Senju action in the past.
Also, as promised, I combined some Shinto mythology and a bit more of my own creative twist. I was inspired by an otome game I recently played called 7'scarlet, which has a similar twist to the tale of Iwanagahime. Similar, but not exact... More on all that later.
Reviews are strongly appreciated.
