His twin dark pools continued to observe the pinkette who became swarmed with the villagers. Indra stood in silence as he purposely lagged behind to watch men, women, children, and the elderly, flutter around her like butterflies over a rare flower. They haven't gone far from the entrance of the village walls when the villagers dropped everything they've been doing to meet her. Some even came out of their huts just to greet her as if she was a queen visiting her loyal subjects.
The burning fire of curiosity inside him dominated his urges to turn tail and leave her for good. It was the perfect opportunity! The infuriating wench was finally occupied! He had plenty of reasons to leave and plenty more ways to do it that would not leave any tracks behind. Instead, his feet remained stuck frozen by the entrance of the village because his subconscious chose the one sole reason as opposed to the many others.
Indra marveled. His mind wracked around possible ideas or theories that would explain to him what was going on. Why? Why do they flock around her like pious devotees over a goddess? What could Aini possibly had done to earn the reverence of these… commoners? Thus was what his logic asked adamantly to himself. Yet his eyes focused solely on Sakura's face that was for once, not hidden under her fan.
She had a very beautiful face and it made her glow.
Indra snapped when she turned to him and for a moment, he thought that she might've heard what he was thinking. She walked up to him and held his sleeve from under his cloak. The smile on her face remained as she dragged him to one of the village huts.
"Aini-sama! My dear, I am so pleased to see you again!" exclaimed an old man who came up and held her hands.
"I am happy to see you as well, Rindo," Sakura replied and squeezed the man's hands back before turning to the old woman behind him, "Reiya."
She hugged the woman like an old friend- who's obviously the man's wife. All the while Indra kept his silence even when the annoying tic at the corner of his eye throbbed at the villagers peering through the doors and windows of the hut.
"Come! Come! Sit with us!" Reiya ushered then around their home whilst Rindo brought flat cushions for them to sit on their raised, wooden floor.
Indra's nose scrunched in disgust at the mediocrity of it all. Yet his curiosity burned ever hotter and he supposed that he could grit his teeth and watch how Sakura will play this scene this time.
"It is really wonderful to see you all again and I am glad that everyone is in good health," the pinkette said genuinely as Reiya offered them tea. When a cup was offered to him, Indra merely stared and said nothing. Not even a polite thanks, "I apologize for my abrupt visit. I must have disturbed your work and-"
"Nonsense!" Rindo exclaimed, "Aini-sama, this port village may never hold a candle to what you deserve after what you have done for us, but rest assured that our gates will always be open for you and whatever you bid for us, we will treat as your command."
Indra's eyes widened ever so slightly at the man's proclamation. Now that notion had really fired him up. Just what did Sakura do to acquire this treatment?
"Please, sir, I told you there is no debt need to be paid," Sakura smiled politely, but when the man and woman's faces turned aghast and opened their mouths to retort, she sighed audibly in defeat, "But if you must, may you be so kind as to provide a boat for my companion and I? We wish to cross the Great River."
As she said that, the man and woman turned to him in assessment. Indra, however, did not find it pleasing to be stared at by these inferior people. It also irked him that they did not show any form of respect to him as they showed Sakura. Even if he hadn't done anything to win their favors, these lower life forms should recognize a superior being if they see one. Well, no matter. He supposed that he'll just have to show them.
The brunette crossed his arms in defiance and raised his chin to look down on them. Hopefully, their skulls weren't so thick to not notice his message. In response, the woman's eyes widened before she quickly looked down; whilst the man's brows knitted together.
"Indra."
He heard her speak his name and he shifted his dark eyes over her. For the first time in the short span of time they started traveling toge- no, in the short span of time she started stalking him, she graced him an expression he never thought the usually teasing and smug woman would ever do.
She stared at him seriously. Her eyes narrowed and the emeralds steeled in silent warning. Her soft, naturally pink lips were pressed into a thin line for the first time. She wasn't smirking, she wasn't smiling, heck- she didn't even look the least bit taunting. As if it told him to stop what he was trying to convey.
Indra, however, was too taken by her new expression that his whole attention fixed onto her. Though his gaze lowered, his arms remained crossed over his chest.
Sakura swiftly turned her head and plastered a new polite smile on her face. She raised her hand and gestured towards him, "This is my companion, Indra. We are on our way to the region at the west."
Reluctance was palpable on the man's face more so when he turned to Indra again. It wasn't until Sakura faked a cough to break the silence when Rindo snapped his gaze back to the pinkette.
"Ahem, ah yes," he cleared his throat and looked at Sakura meaningfully, "Aini-sama, I told you before and I will tell you a thousand times if I have to, you need not ask. Dear blossom, whatever your wish goes and if you wish to cross the Great River with your companion… then I will prepare the best boat the village has to accommodate you and I will escort you both across myself. However, I am afraid you will have to postpone your travel for tonight, Aini-sama. The sun has fallen and the Great River is perilous when the moon is nigh. It is simply too dangerous to cross the river at this hour but if it appeases you, you can resume your travel early tomorrow at dawn."
Sakura smiled gently and nodded, "You know the Great River best, Rindo. If that is what you think best, then so shall it be. We will have to trouble you for tonight with another body to bed and mouths to feed."
"Now see here, milady," Reiya spoke. She seemed to have snapped from Indra's earlier intimidation, "Whatever you bid could never be trouble for us! I will go and prepare the finest room for you and Indra, and the best bedding we have."
She stood and up excitedly and excused herself. Rindo clapped his hands and stood himself, "Wonderful! If you will excuse me, I will go over to the others and we shall prepare the best and biggest fish we caught today. How does that sound to you, Aini-sama?"
"That sounds wonderful," she smiled and the older man left through the string of beads to give them their privacy. Once Rindo's presence completely left the house, Sakura snapped her head at Indra. Her expression serious and condescending, "Just what were you thinking, Indra?"
He blinked in surprise. It was the first time she had ever snapped at him, "I do not under-"
Sakura shifted from her position so they were facing each other better and her knees were nearly touching his. Due to their differences in height, the pinkette couldn't be any taller than his chin. He would've caught himself laughing at the absurdity of it all if her face didn't have the expression like she was seconds from ripping his head off his shoulders.
"These are good people, Indra," she stressed, showing her full set of clean teeth, "I know you think they are not anywhere near your absurd standard with people but it does not justify that you can just look at them like they are hopeless insects ready to be stepped on!"
Indra scowled. He sneered, "How dare you talk to me like that, woman! Do you feel like acting all high and mighty towards me will make these good people revere you even more? I could not care less if they kiss the very ground you walk or sing you praises. You are delusional if you think my need for their reverence pushed me to my eleventh-hour. I was not the one in need to stoop so low to cross a mere river! I do not need their help and I most certainly never needed yours!"
For the second time that day, Sakura surprised him by suddenly grabbing his collar. She pulled him towards her and Indra winced when she slammed their foreheads together. His scowl turned into snarls and his throat rumbled deep, low, and dangerous with his growl.
"I knew your pride to reach crazy zeniths but would your temple of selfish crumble if you act civil to these good-hearted people?" she hissed, "You may not know what they have endured for years but it does not grant you the power to disrespect them. You would do well not to cross me, boy."
Indra's eyes widened at her audacity. His hands fisted tightly at his sides as his eyes bed red. However Sakura fearlessly took him head on and stared back at his sharingan with her emerald gaze. Just as how it did not affect her the least bit, it stoked his flare of ire even more.
"Get your filthy hands off of me," he ordered between gritted teeth.
For a few moments, they just stayed there. Challenging and unwavering. Their prides held them from taking the minute step of submission against the audacity of each other. Indra felt fed up with the stalker woman and made a move to grab her wrists. However Sakura removed them the second his fingertips touched her bare skin and sprang up.
"Behave yourself," she ordered back. Her burning green eyes looked down on his sitting form. Before Indra could retort back, Sakura turned on her heel, passed through the curtain of beads and out the hut.
That woman! That- that siren! Just who does she think she is?!
Indra paced angrily like an enraged, caged lion. He felt his chakra swirl and coil like a cyclone causing destruction and all he could see was white hot fury. As much as it surprised him that the frail-looking woman had a side to her akin to a provoked tiger, it does not give her the right to just order him around like that! Just because they travelled together for a few days- he didn't even invite her to his journey! She just saw it fit to tag along! If she hadn't come along then he wouldn't have to go through this farce!
Yet if it wasn't for her, he would still be in the forest following and making his own path from his outdated map. He would've climbed the mountain if she wasn't there and led him through the caves on a giant scorpion's back.
But at least my dignity will still be intact!
For a while, Indra argued with himself just like that. After their spat, Sakura left for who-knows-where and he snuck out of village chief's hut. He tried to cross the river himself but he never rode on a boat before. He also put his theory to the test with using chakra to scale trees. However walking on water was much harder than it seemed and he had failed to gather the right amount of chakra to float him over the surface. The most he had done was lasting only five seconds before falling into the water. His clothes had long since dried up with his careful use of fire chakra. It also didn't help that he was still greatly enraged with Sakura that his usually perfect concentration would crumble into pieces and focus only at the thoughts of her.
Does Sakura know how to walk on water? He bets that she does.
Indra resisted the urge to pull on his hair at the thought of that woman besting him on something yet again. In fact, he felt immensely frustrated just by the mere thought of her. Why does he even bother? He should just ditch her now and save himself the torture. Yet when he closed his eyes and his head throbbed in fury at the thought of her, his heart thumped wildly at the burning green fire behind her eyes.
Incensed, Indra made a series of complicated hand signs. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with as much air as he could, and through his lips, fire shot out into the open air. The bright ball of flame was so hot it caused him to perspire and the water by the bank bubbled and released steam. Like a dragon, he was unforgiving as he scorched the air with his unrelenting fire. Indra poured all his frustrations out of that one technique and he did not stop until the last bit of ember left his lips.
The ball of flame that was like a bright beacon in the distance slowly faded away. Whether his tantrum caught the attention of the villagers, Indra honestly didn't care. He breathed puffs of air to relax his burning nerves and turbulent chakra. The darkness of the night creeped back over him as the bubbles in the water popped away like nothing happened except for the trace of soot and burns on the rocks of the shore.
Indra ran a hand over his hair. He's prone to temper tantrums every now and again especially when he's dealing with idiots and pink-haired, beautiful infuriating women, but stress is not good for him.
He fell on his knees and cupped the water with his hands. He leaned in to take a sip but was suddenly interrupted with a loud shout.
"DON'T DRINK THAT!"
The brunette scowled at the source which were a pair of children coming towards him.
"Do not drink that, sir!" said a little boy.
"Actually he can," nudged a girl a little older beside him.
"Well yes, but we have better water now so there is no need to drink from the river," the boy beamed and suddenly grabbed onto Indra's sleeve, "Come sir! I will show you!"
First, rude older people, and now meddlesome children? Could his day get any worse? Indra decided to humor the boy and let him drag him towards one of the water wells of the village between two nearby huts. The boy did the liberty of dropping the bucket into the hole encircled with rocks. With the help of his sister, which Indra deduced based from their obvious resemblance, they pulled the bucket back up with the rope attached to it. They settled it down at their feet and with a wooden ladle attached to the bucket, they scooped the clearer water and offered it to him.
Indra openly narrowed his eyes at the offered water. His blatant suspicion didn't seem to affect the (oblivious) children as they stared up at him- especially the boy- with twinkling eyes. Indra sighed and took the ladle. He drank the cool, fresh water and greedily asked for more.
"You were so amazing, sir!" the boy beamed as he gulped his fifth drink. Indra raised a brow at him as the boy rambled on and made gestures with his arms, "You inhaled like this and then fire came out of your mouth like BAM! It was so like the dragons Sakura-sama told us about! It was so amazing! Are you a dragon, sir? Where are your horns? And your tail? And your giant wings?!"
The brunette blinked, "I am not a dragon."
"Sora!" his older sister reprimanded. She bowed before him in apology, "I am so sorry, sir! Please forgive my little brother. His mind is still warped in fantasy and always talks about traveling the world one day."
"Seira! Stop that! I did not do anything wrong!" the boy flushed at his sister, "You saw what I saw too did you not?! I told you he is amazing like Sakura-sama! He is her friend after all! I was just praising him!"
Finally some respect. Indra blinked again upon hearing the boy's claim. Friends? Did this child seriously refer him and that… that wench as friends?! From that point on the siblings quarreled with each other back and forth. Countering with defense and shouting back at offense. He would've been entertained if it their argument only meant something more relevant-
"What about you?! You told mother and father that you want to be like Sakura-sama too!" Sora pointed an accusing finger at her, "Do not think that you are so subtle! I caught you in the woods treating rabbits."
Seira gasped and her cheeks flushed red in both anger and embarrassment, "W-Well, who doesn't want to be someone as great as Sakura-sama?!"
That annoying tic at the corner of his eye came back and Indra had to bite back a growl. Children worship that wench too?! Then like a stroke of ingenious, Indra called for both Sora and Seira's attentions.
"You seem to admire her very much," he noted. His dark eyes watched them both.
They both beamed, especially Seira, "Oh yes! We adore her very much! Sakura-sama saved mine and many of the villagers' lives after all."
"Really now? Can you tell me that story?"
Seira was more than eager to recount the tale of the mysterious blossom. Sora was too young to remember what happened a few years ago so he marveled at his sister's tale in silence. Indra learned that a few years ago, their village was suddenly plagued with sickness of an unknown source. They had trouble asking for help in the nearest villages because of the mountain and the dangerous creatures that reside in the forest. People here were mostly fishermen and humble farmers. None of them knew how to fight since they had no trouble before. Bandits would have trouble coming here and there was nothing that would entice them to raid their village. The occasional visitors they would receive were only travelers and merchants.
Within a month or so, the number of inflicted people covered the majority of the village's population and only a handful of healthy people were left. Seira was one of those victims of the mysterious plague. A tenth of the villagers have already died; they were on their last legs and were tempted to cast the remaining healthy people away for their own safety when a pink-haired woman with emerald eyes wearing a priestess' robes came to their village.
Seira told him that 'Sakura-sama' was the one who rid them of the disease. She said she used her powers to examine the sick villagers and took the remaining healthy people they have left high upstream. From there, they learned that from the previous storm, it swept the carcass of a giant bear, long dead, rotting and being feasted by scavengers. The decaying carcass stood in the way of river and with its large size, the water could not filter out the decay and thus contaminated the river downstream as well as their water wells, the fish and crops they eat.
It was thanks to Aini that they were able to rid themselves of the problem and she spent the rest of her time curing the ill back to their original health as well as the crippled and injured from long ago. Since then, the village has always been in debt to her and the people revered her. Not only did she saved their lives, Sakura also taught them of a method to filter the water coming from upstream in the wells. A few ways above the river, a wooden and paper contraption was there to make the water in the village clearer and fresher than ever before. It's also so this incident will never happen again.
Seira also said that because of this, they started putting up a symbol of overlapping circles that would form a flower with six petals. The village had also adapted the belief of worshipping a goddess. Sora then mentioned that the pinkette was currently visiting everyone in the village, jumping from one hut to another.
"And what does this symbol mean?" Indra asked.
"I am not really sure," Seira hummed, "I do not really understand it but father said that it is to help us help Sakura-sama find what she is looking for. I forgot what it was though."
At the end of the story, Indra wasn't sure that his discovery about the pinkette was a success or not. For one, at least he understood why this port village was practically worshiping her feet. Sakura literally saved them from the brink of death. Another, there was that symbol that he saw at the inn come up again. Just what does it mean? Sakura has a circle stitched at the back of her clothes. Her name, Aini, meant flower and the symbol was also associated with a flower. There's too much of a coincidence for it to not be ignored.
When it was time for dinner, there was a feast waiting for him prepared at the village square but it wasn't hard to guess that the villagers went about their way to do this for Sakura's sake and not his. He also learned that Sora and Seira were Rindo and Reiya's grandchildren whose parents also joined them that night. The feast went by in silence for Indra. Sakura would glance at him in suspicion every now and again whilst conversing with the villagers. The people laughed, sang, and danced around the pyre they built just for one night. Indra still couldn't grasp why the villagers would make a feast out of Sakura's visitation. Even if they all knew that they would be gone early in the morning.
"Indra-sama!" Sora suddenly came up to him, dragging a group of children behind him. The boy resorted to calling him by that honorific because he seemed to be in the illusion that he was 'friends' with Sakura. Not that he minded, of course. At least the boy respected him more than his elders, "Could you please show us your fire again? My friends did not believe me!"
He blinked at the notion. Did the boy seriously ask him for a show? Did he think that ninshu was a form of entertainment?! Yet, when he felt emerald eyes looking at him from his side, Indra swallowed the piece of fish meat in his mouth and performed the most basic of his created ninshu.
It was a simple technique he first invented as a child and he didn't need to use hand signs. He opened his palm and a ball of fire was formed. The children around him gasped and ooh-ed at the sight. He decided to kick it up a notch by letting the fire crawl over his entire hand.
"Does it hurt?!" gasped one.
"Is it burning your hand?!" asked another.
"No," he answered, "it does not hurt me but it might burn your skin so-"
From the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura staring at him again. This time, however, she wasn't only staring. The corner of her lips curled up into the smallest of smiles.
"So you should not come near me unless you want to get hurt."
For the rest of the night, Indra found himself performing basic techniques of his ninshu for children and eventually, the older villagers became entertained. He willed the fires he conjured to perform tricks in the air, turning them into the shapes of animals and such. At one point, Sakura decided to play along and used her own chakra to conjure blobs of water, turning them into shapes and have them play with his fire as well. It wasn't like when they were fighting on the first day they met. Their techniques did not destroy their surroundings, instead they formed faces of marvel, awe, glee, and excitement.
And suddenly Indra was remembered when he first created ninshu. How he was able to produce the same faces on his father's followers, his brother, and even his own father. It made him remember the first drive he had to further develop ninshu.
When their plates were empty, the pitchers dry, the fire in the pyre slowly died out, and their stomachs sated, Sakura and Indra were led to a spacey room and given, as promised, their best bedding.
"Did something happen?" Sakura asked once they petted down their beddings and pillows on the floor.
Indra didn't bother to give her an answer as he deftly laid down on his mattress and draped the blanket over his shoulder. Even with his back turned to her, he could hear Sakura sigh in frustration. She brushed down her un-braided hair before she decided to tuck herself in bed moments later. As the night carried on, Indra's eyes remained open. He could not find it in himself to fall asleep with the many questions lingering in his mind. Mainly about a certain pink-haired woman who managed to successfully irate him time and time again.
Who is she really? Where did she come from? Why does she travel the world alone? Where, how, and who taught her about chakra and ninshu? For a woman to brave the unknown world on her own and still remain as beautiful and delicate as her namesake-
Indra shook his head vigorously and closed his eyes. What good will these thoughts do him anyway? It's not as if answering them will bring him a step closer to greatness. If he asks, she may or may not answer and just tease him even more.
If he asks, that means he's curious. If he's curious, if he's curious. If he's curious, that means he's interested. If he's interested that means he cares, and if he cares, that mean he's-
For some unknown reason, Indra turned on his back. He felt himself swallow a lump in his throat at the sight of Sakura, sleeping peacefully- unperturbed and not bothered by the world, while the silver rays of the moon dress her through the open window with ethereal glow.
What is this? There were other beautiful girls in his father's clan. There were women that could smile and act just as coy.
Indra's thoughts were interrupted when something caught his eye. It was small, easily missed, and almost insignificant. There, between the fringes that curtained her forehead, was a mark he couldn't make out of. His hand was reaching out from the blanket before he even realized it and with the slightest of his fingertips, moved her pink locks away from her forehead.
It was a small, purple diamond. Where did that come from? Was it tattooed? Did she use makeup just like he would with his lashes? But he never once saw her use makeup.
"Indra…" she called softly in her sleep and Indra tried not to look anything else as she groggily opened her eyes, "Forgive me… I did not mean to be angry with you… I just care very much about these people… I-" she yawned, "thank you for playing with the children… they seem to be very taken with you… I am jealous…"
Even in her half-asleep state, she still managed to pout her lips at him. Indra's eyes fell on those lips he knew to have a softness he couldn't compare with. The corner of his lips turned up ever so slightly and brushed the rest of her tresses away from her face.
"Go to sleep," he whispered.
"Okay…" Sakura answered with a soft smile before her eyelids completely closed off her dazzling green eyes.
Early at the crack of dawn, Sakura and Indra were at the pier ready to board the boat prepared by Rindo who would escort them to the other side of the Great River himself. Even though it was so early in the morning, many of the villagers still came to the pier to bid Sakura farewell. Much to Indra's surprise, the children and even their parents wished for him a safe trip.
Beside him, Sakura looked at him with a meaningful smile and nudged his side. He waved back at the villagers.
"Ah! Now I remember!" Seira exclaimed once Sakura and Indra were but a dot in the distance.
"Remember what?" Sora yawned beside her.
"I remember now what those symbols are for! It is to help Sakura-sama find her missing family!"
Hagoromo choked on his tea so hard that he had to punch his chest to relieve himself. His old friend, Futami, was already at his side. A look of worry was on his face as he brought him a clean towel to wipe his mess with. But the wizened warrior couldn't care less if his tea had stained his pristine white clothes.
"I beg-" he coughed, "I beg your pardon? Are you certain that… it was my Indra you had witnessed?"
Gamamaru rolled his eyes incredulously at him, "Of course it was Indra. I would not have believed it myself if I had not witnessed it with my own two eyes."
The horned man's eyes widened, absolutely dumbfounded. When Gamamaru returned to him with news of his sons' journeys, he did not expect this turn of events in his eldest son's travels. He had already anticipated that Indra's mission will go about smoothly, and that he would expect more news from Ashura. But this…
"My son… with a woman… Indra with a woman…" he mumbled to himself. Not even his mother's betrayal had brought him to this level of surprise.
"If I may, Hagoromo-sama," Futami interjected, "Indra is at that age and it could be possible that even he had taken a fancy on a woman he'd come across with."
"Are you sure that… she is a woman?" Hagoromo asked the toad, purple eyes still wide.
The brown toad crossed his arms, "Of course I know she is a female! I dare say she is even considered gorgeous by human standards. Your son met her whilst they were both bathing under a waterfall."
"What?!" It was Futami who expressed his surprise verbally. As for Indra's father, his grey skin had turned as white as his clothes.
"Uhh…" Gamamaru chuckled nervously and feigned a cough, "Indra does not seem to mind this woman's company though. They have been travelling together since they met. I even saw them fight together and to my eyes, they looked more like they were dancing instead of fighting against a bunch of hoodlums."
Hagoromo, for once in his life, felt dumbstruck. His mind couldn't wrap itself at the idea that his eldest son- Indra- whom he watched grow into the young man that he was with only the goal of power in his mind, could ever be seen… in the company of anyone else, much more with a woman and not mind their presence. After he tried to convince himself at the idea, Hagoromo's mind just went blank.
Futami chuckled, "You have not named your successor yet but it looks like Indra has taken a large step ahead. Have the thoughts of grandchildren crossed your mind, Hagoromo-sama?"
No. The thought of grandchildren has never crossed his mind at all.
Thank you for waiting! I hope this doesn't disappoint. Will try to update the next chapter soon.
If anybody's interested in a MadaSaku fanfic which is also a MafiaAU and Rated M, then please check out my other fanfic: 'Bloody Sugar'.
Ciao~!