Pompeii
Chapter 16
jaylene
Sakura awoke to the sound of shattering glass.
She bounded out of bed, messy haired and bleary eyed. She had no idea where the sound had come from. She could, however, hear the faint sounds of voices. With trepidation, Sakura pushed open her bedroom door.
Sakura was greeted with the unmuffled sound of an argument. She followed the noise, scowling as she caught sight of her sliding glass door. It was completely shattered, glass littering the floor.
She slipped into a pair of sneakers, doing her best to tiptoe around the debris as she made her way to the balcony.
Now outside, Sakura could barely make out the forms of people below. It was yet still night, the moon's light a weak glow filtered through heavy clouds.
"What the hell is going on?" Sakura asked, incensed.
The argument ceased.
Sakura squinted, making out the Uzumaki twins and cousins gathered beneath her window.
"Ah, hi Sakura," Naruto said, scratching at the back of his head.
"Why did you break my window?" Sakura asked, rubbing at her forehead. It was far too early in the morning to deal with this shit.
"We were...uh...just trying to wake you up," Menma said, uncharacteristically sheepish.
Sakura had a strong feeling of who exactly broke her window.
"And you didn't think to just call me ?" Sakura said.
"We tried," Karin said. "Multiple times."
Sakura glanced over at her bedroom, wondering if she'd left her phone off after work the night before. She sighed.
"Well, why didn't you try knocking? You know, before escalating to breaking my house?"
"You've got some sort of barrier around your apartment," Tayuya said. "Never seen anything like it. Don't fucking let Tsunade know about it...she'd be pissed."
"Barrier?" Sakura asked, glancing around in confusion. "I certainly haven't put one up."
"What about those twinkling lights?" Karin asked. "The barrier only appeared after you put them up. Did you buy them from a dwarf? They're the best at weaving spells into objects."
"What?" Sakura asked with a giggle. "These Christmas lights? I bought them at Target!"
"Is that a magical market in New York?" Tayuya asked. "It sounds fucking awesome."
Sakura laughed at the mental image. "Not quite. That still doesn't explain the rock throwing."
"I...uh...that is we were trying to wake you up," Menma began. "Just aiming to tap on the window."
" Someone threw the rock too hard," Naruto said, crossing his arms and glaring at Menma.
"Can we come up?" Karin asked. "We can help with the window."
" I can help with the window." Sakura heard Tayuya saying as she turned, heading down the stairs.
Sakura hesitated on the staircase, remembering how brisk it was out on the balcony. She hurried back up the stairs and grabbed a jacket in the dark, slipping it over her shoulders.
The spicy scent and the way the jacket hung down over her fingertips told Sakura that she'd grabbed the leather jacket that Menma lent her a few weeks back.
Sakura shrugged, knowing that she needed to return the jacket but, considering the way he broke her window, she felt she'd earned the right to keep it a little longer.
She was a little pissed off.
Sakura opened her front door and the clan of Uzumakis stood before her.
"Well?" Sakura said, gesturing inward.
"You have to invite us in," Naruto said, shuffling his feet, uncharacteristically shy.
Tayuya sniffed. "Never seen a protection spell like this. Or smelled one."
"Come in," Sakura said.
She eyed their bright eyes and red noses, before shaking her head and guiding them up the stairs.
"This is such a cute little home!" Karin exclaimed as Sakura let them troop into her apartment ahead of her. "Look at that kitchen! What all do you have in there?" She headed into the kitchen to explore.
"What is this thing?" Naruto asked, crouching by her mini Christmas tree. He inhaled deeply. "It looks like a pine but it isn't a pine. It smells of plastic." He touched the needles of the tree. "It is plastic."
"Oh, is it a totem?" Tayuya asked. "Do you store your reservoir of power there? How does it work? It's not alive."
"Are you wearing my jacket?" Menma asked, face flushed and eyes wide. He sniffed, long and deep, eyes crossing.
Sakura blinked, slightly overwhelmed by the hurricane that was the Uzumaki.
"Can we…" She cleared her throat. "Can we focus please?"
All four Uzumaki stopped what they were doing and turned back to Sakura.
"Ah...right," Naruto said. "Sorry, we got a bit carried away."
Sakura crossed her arms, raising her eyebrows. "My window?"
"Got it," Tayuya said with a grin. She waved her hands, eyes flashing a deep purple.
A high tinkling sound, reminiscent of the sound of bells, filled the air as the glass that littered the ground rose up and reformed itself into a door.
Tayuya scrutinized it from all angles before giving a satisfied nod. She made a sweeping gesture and the glass affixed itself to the frame.
Sakura stepped forward, tentatively pressing her hands against the glass. It held.
"That's amazing," Sakura said, putting her full weight against the door. "Thank you Tayuya."
"It was nothing," Tayuya said, turning away so the others couldn't see her blush.
"So what brings you guys here at…" She checked her watch. "At 3:23 in the morning?"
"We've been tasked to bring you to a little...outing," Naruto said, eyes mischievous.
Sakura watched him, wary. "And what sort of 'outing' is this?"
"Bonfire," Menma replied gruffly, still flustered over the fact that Sakura wore his jacket. Their scents were mixing in an absolutely exquisite sort of way. "It's on the Aburame property."
Sakura tried to remember who the Aburame were. "That's...that's Shino's family right?"
"Yep," Karin said, popping the syllable. "They have the best bonfires. They're on the outskirts of town, in the forest. Pretty close to the Nara compound actually. They have a freaking waterfall on their property. A waterfall ."
"The forest," Sakura said, unease pricking the back of her neck.
She'd been avoiding the forest since Founder's Day. It hadn't been hard; things were a whirlwind since Founder's Day. The coven decided to settle in Pompeii, at least for the time being and every single one of them needed their annual checkups. It was rather exhausting, given the way Tsunade hovered and lingered but Sakura powered through.
But now…
"What's wrong with the forest?" Tayuya asked.
"Nothing," Sakura said, shaking off her worries. She settled her gaze on the group with a frown. "Why are we having a bonfire at fuck off o'clock?"
Menma snorted.
"Uh...witchy things?" Naruto said, not sounding so confident in his answer as he looked at Tayuya.
"My god, Naruto, for the last time, we don't have meetings past midnight except at solstices and certain celestial events," Tayuya said, sounding both resigned and frustrated. It was interesting mix. "We don't stand around the woods at fuck off o'clock and hold seances and shit. We don't have time for it!"
"Sure," Naruto said, winking at Sakura.
"So why this time?" Sakura said, trying to keep the disagreement from escalating.
"It's just tradition," Karin said with a shrug. "We always have bonfires before the sun is up. Don't think there's a reason for it."
"I'm not changing out of my pajamas," Sakura said, looking down at her flannel pants decorated in snowmen and candy canes. It was garish and she loved it.
Tayuya looked her over slowly, taking in the mismatched flannel pants with the green sweater that had a kitten head protruding from it with a red hat on it. She smirked. "What is that monstrosity of a shirt? Is that a trophy from a kill you made?"
Sakura gasped, covering her chest protectively.
"Definitely not," Naruto said, shaking his head. "Your nose just isn't as good as ours. Kitsune noses beat witches' any day of the week." He tapped the side of his nose. "It's as real as that plastic pine over there."
"It's a Christmas sweater!" Sakura said, getting fed up. "And that's a Christmas tree!"
She was met with four identical blank looks.
"You know, Christmas? The biggest commercial holiday here in the states? A time for family and good cheer?" Her voice rose as they continued to stare at her without understanding. "People don't work on Christmas Day! How do you not know what Christmas is?"
"What day is it?" Naruto asked.
"December 25th," Sakura said, hoping that they'd let up on the joke soon.
"We work on the 25th," Menma said, shaking his head slowly.
Sakura looked at them all, feeling a pang of pity. She stood up, sighing. "Alright, well, I'll explain on the way." She paused, thinking of something. "Give me a second," she called, running into the kitchen and stuffing a few items into a satchel.
They headed outside and Sakura stared at the travesty that Naruto called a vehicle. It was a truck, ancient in build and Ford in nature. It was also an eye-searing orange. Even in the watery light of the moon, Sakura could see how obnoxiously orange it was.
"Matches my tails right?" Naruto asked, watching her reaction eagerly.
"It's...something," Sakura replied, patting him on the shoulder. "How are we doing this?"
"I'll ride up front with Naruto," Karin said, in a way that made her sound like a martyr. Which, considering that it was Naruto driving, she might well be. :You guys can ride in the bed."
"We've got tons of blankets," Tayuya said, catching Sakura's dissatisfied shiver and interpreting it correctly.
Sakura grinned at Tayuya, nodding her thanks.
"Let's go!" Naruto crowed, too peppy for this time of day.
Karin cuffed him in the back of the head. "Keep your voice down. Other people live here."
Naruto nodded, jingling his keys as he hopped into his truck.
Karin sighed, climbing in on the other side.
Sakura stepped on the rear tire, boosting herself into the bed of the truck. As Tayuya said, it was filled with blankets as well as enough supplies for s'mores to feed an army and a half dozen lawn chairs.
"Hungry much?" Sakura asked, nestling down in against the window and cocooning herself in the blankets.
"Didn't you see the way these guys ate at the picnic?" Tayuya asked, throwing herself down beside Sakura and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "I'm not sure if we have enough. Kitsune eat anything and everything."
"Hey, don't blame us for having higher metabolisms than witches! Besides, we aren't the only race that eats so much. Suigetsu eats way more." Karin said.
Sakura glanced up, catching sight of Karin glaring at Tayuya out of the open rear window.
Menma sighed, smirking as he caught Sakura's gaze. He took a seat on the edge of truck bed, not holding onto anything. "Naruto can outeat anyone in Pompeii," he said.
"Guilty as charged!" Naruto exclaimed as he cranked the car. "I could probably eat all of the s'mores tonight by myself."
Music thrummed through Sakura as Naruto pulled out. Which reminded her…
"Hey, Karin!" Karin's head poked out. "Can you put this in?" Sakura asked, passing her a CD.
"Sure thing, Sakura!" Karin said, grabbing the CD.
"You sure you're alright up there?" Sakura asked, glancing over at Menma as Karin changed out the CDs. "You don't have much support."
Menma snorted, crossing his arms. "Kitsune," he murmured, looking slightly offended.
Sakura raised her arms in surrender just as new music cut through the air.
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...
Just like the ones I used to know...
Sakura closed her eyes, relaxing as she was surrounded by the voice of Bing Crosby crooning in her ears. For a moment, she felt like she was back in New York, with her family, insulated from the rest of the world, safe …
"Is this one of those Christmas things?" Tayuya asked.
Sakura opened her eyes, illusion broken. "Yeah."
"What's a white Christmas?" Naruto asked.
"Means that it snows on Christmas," Sakura explained. "The ground covered in white, untouched and perfect. It's absolutely wonderful."
"Not everyone gets a white Christmas though," Menma said.
"No," Sakura said. "No they don't. I'm pretty sure we won't be getting one here either. I've been checking the weather." She sighed wistfully. "It would be wonderful."
They fell silent for several long moments.
Sakura shook off her melancholy with a forced smile. "So, let me tell you about Santa Claus."
"Is he a werewolf?" Naruto asked. "That's quite an unoriginal last name."
Sakura grinned.
"So this 'Santa Claus'...is he a witch?" Tayuya asked as they pulled up to Shino's house.
It was a large sprawling estate in the middle of the forest, just as promised. The building, from what Sakura could see, was very Art Nouveau with curving windows and ornaments of insect shapes. The most common motif seemed to be bees. It was an asymmetrical building, favoring the left over the right. She couldn't see the colors all that well but there seemed to be some bright splashes mixed in with the neutrals.
Sakura couldn't help but smile at the eccentricity.
"No, he has to be a kitsune!" Menma said. "The illusions, the mischief it takes to stay disguised from all the children and adults in the world...he's kitsune!"
"There are invisibility spells!" Tayuya replied. "He's definitely a witch. That's how he fits in each chimney."
"Which is it Sakura?" Menma asked.
Both of them turned to stare at her.
"Well…" Sakura said, biting her lip. She didn't want to spoil their fun.
The truck shut off, cutting off Mariah Carey's voice. Sakura silently thanked Naruto's timing as she hopped out of the bed of the truck.
"Let's go!" Naruto cheered, climbing out of the truck.
Sakura looked around, taking in all the other cars parked on the property. None stood out quite like Naruto's and all were fancier.
"Who all is here?" Sakura asked, taking twenty bags of marshmallows from Tayuya.
"Everyone," Karin replied. "I told you these bonfires are kind of a big deal."
Menma sniffed the air. "Seems like they've already started." He grabbed a tower of chocolate bars. "Let's go."
Sakura trusted their senses to guide them as she followed them away from the house into the forest. Her anxiety spiked momentarily as she remembered the staircase but she felt comforted by the people surrounding her. She doubted something would happen with people around.
Right?
Soon, Sakura could hear the boisterous noise of a rowdy crowd.
Next, she smelt the acrid smoke.
And finally, she saw the bonfire.
Karin hadn't been kidding about everyone being there.
The bonfire was massive, over ten feet wide and over twenty feet high. It didn't even come close to topping the trees in the forest.
"How?" Sakura asked weakly. It couldn't be a natural bonfire. It just couldn't.
"How? All of the people who were in the fire show are here," a voice said.
Sakura stifled a yelp as she turned and found herself looking into the reflective sunglasses of Shino. She smiled which seemed to startle him.
"Thanks for allowing us to join," Sakura said.
Shino just watched her, adjusting the collar of his trench coat. "Everyone is welcome," he said quietly. "It's tradition."
"Well thanks for allowing a newcomer like me to join your tradition," Sakura said, still grinning. She could see the flames reflected in his sunglasses, though she had no idea how he could see. "The Uzumaki brought s'mores," Sakura said, turning to them. The Uzumaki had moved to the buffet table, dumping the s'mores supplies there. "And I brought a little something too."
Shino nodded, walking with her to the table.
Sakura placed the marshmallows down, before rifling in her bag and pulling out a box triumphantly.
"What is that?" Shino asked, looking over her shoulder. He'd never seen anything like it.
"Candy canes," Sakura said.
Shino glanced between the box and her pajama pants. "Seems like you enjoy wearing your food."
Sakura flushed slightly, suddenly remembering her rather ridiculous outfit of pajamas, leather jacket, and sneakers. How unprofessional. She hoped it didn't color the impressions of the partygoers of their doctor. She decided to let it go, knowing she couldn't control it now.
"In any case, these are delicious, especially with s'mores," Sakura said. She glanced at the crowd. "Unfortunately I didn't prepare for a group this size."
Shino shrugged. "First come, first served. Everyone knows the rules."
Sakura nodded, mollified. "Well, here," she said, pressing a candy cane into his hands. "Pull the plastic off and you can just lick it. Or, you can do as I am and just," She placed a candy cane on the table and brought her fist down on top of it, "crush it up. Then you can add it to your s'more!"
"I'll follow your lead on this one," Shino said graciously, crushing the candy cane.
Sakura grabbed a marshmallow and one of the sticks that someone had graciously picked up in the forest. She looked at the crush of the crowd and, hesitating for only a second, took Shino's hand in hers to pull him along behind her.
She heard some sort of buzzing sound but it was quickly overwhelmed by the noise of the people around them.
They arrived fireside no worse for the wear and placed their marshmallows over the flames.
Shino pulled his out as it reached that perfect golden brown state.
Sakura did not.
"Aren't you going to pull it out?" Shino asked, trying to hide his distress.
Sakura snorted. "No. I like mine charred."
"Heathen," Shino replied, before he could stop himself. He flushed.
Sakura, thankfully, only laughed. "You have strong opinions on marshmallows, my friend."
"I'm sorry. Kiba does the same-" Shino began, trying to explain himself.
"I like it," Sakura said, bumping his shoulder with an easy smile.
"...your marshmallow is on fire," Shino muttered, hunching his shoulders.
"Perfect!" Sakura exclaimed, pulling the burnt mess out of the fire and blowing on it. "Now the trick is to pour the candy cane dust on the graham cracker, then put the chocolate, followed by the marshmallow, and topped by the other graham cracker."
Shino followed her instructions and took a bite as she did. He chewed thoughtfully. "It tastes like mint chocolate."
"Exactly!" Sakura exclaimed.
Shino smiled slightly at her. "It's nice."
"Glad you enjoyed it," Sakura said.
"Sakura, what are you wearing?"
Sakura turned, rolling her eyes at Madara. "It's called an ugly Christmas sweater, Madara. I was kind of woken up to come down here."
"No, not that!" Madara said, flapping a hand. "The sweater's adorable, though a bird would look much better."
"Then what is it?" Sakura asked, casting Shino an apologetic glance.
He shrugged, smiling before turning to talk to other guests.
" That !" Madara said, gesturing to her outerwear. "Why are you still in possession of that jacket?"
"I haven't had a chance to return it yet," Sakura said. "Besides, I was a little upset at Menma earlier for breaking my window so I decided to keep it for the time being. He doesn't seem to mind."
"He wouldn't," Madara muttered, gaze dark.
"What brings you here tonight, Madara?" Sakura asked, folding her hands into her armpits. Her extremities were cold, even with the bonfire at her back.
Madara's eyes flickered brightly in the light of the flames, looking like fire themselves. "Here," he said, sweeping off his topcoat and draping it over her shoulders. He frowned slightly as his scent intermingled with Menma's but he shook it off.
Sakura laughed, drawing it tighter around her shoulders. "Thanks," she said. "At this rate, I'm going to be drowning in outerwear by the end of the night."
"Not likely," Madara said.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Sakura asked, watching him with concern. "You tengu don't have much fat on your body. How are you staying insulated against the cold?"
Madara raised an arm, showing her the shift of feathers beneath his skin. "Besides, there's always the other thing."
"Oh?" Sakura asked, raising her brows.
Madara breathed in deep and released a small fireball at the bonfire. The bonfire crackled and swelled in strength with the added fire.
Madara looked at Sakura smugly. "Fire breather."
"That you are," Sakura said with a nod.
Madara watched her for a long moment, looking like he wanted to say something. Instead he sighed, glancing up at the sky. "I need to get back to Izuna."
"How is he?" Sakura asked, placing a hand on his arm.
"Same as ever," Madara said with a forced smirk. "Come by in a few days. You can give him a check-up and cheer his spirits."
Sakura nodded, walking with Madara to the edge of the bonfire. She watched with awe as he shifted, feathers covering him. She didn't think she'd ever get used to it. He gave her a nod before pushing off into the air, powerful wings beating and stirring up her hair.
She kept her eyes on him as he disappeared past the treetops, leaving her alone.
"My, my, Sakura," a voice said.
"Cat got your tongue?" another said.
Sakura sighed, looking at Kotetsu and Izumo and the twin grins they were sporting. They were staring directly at her chest.
Or rather, what was on it.
"Cute," she said, smirking at them. "Been prepping that line for a while?"
"Oh, I don't know about that," Izumo said, looping an arm around her shoulder.
"You just seem to be a great muse," Kotetsu said, wrapping his arm around her free shoulder.
"So many ideas."
"So many things to ridicule."
"Really, you make it too easy."
"Great material though."
"Ha, ha," Sakura said, scowling at them.
"Come now Sakura, don't think of us too harshly," Kotetsu said.
"We're about to give you the time of your life," Izumo said.
"Somehow, I doubt it," Sakura replied, amused.
"Don't worry your pretty little head about it," Kotetsu said.
"We're going to show you one of the best parts of the forest."
"The forest?" Sakura said, fighting to keep her voice steady.
"The will-o'-the-wisp," they said in unison.
Sakura swallowed back her fear as they stepped beyond the ring of the party, heading deeper into the forest. What happened a few weeks ago was a fluke. It had to be.
"Some people believe that kitsune foxfire causes it," Izumo said.
"As if," Kotetsu said with an eyeroll.
"Then what is it?" Sakura asked.
"Hell if we know," they said cheerfully before beginning to whistle, terribly off-key different songs.
"I think you're scaring them off," Sakura said.
"Oh, feisty!" Kotetsu said, drawing her closer.
"Good to see you've got some bark!"
"Hush," Sakura said. "If you want to find this will-o'-the-wisp, then you have to be quiet."
"So you're an expert now?" Izumo asked with a grin.
Sakura elbowed him in the side which seemed to do the trick.
They fell silent, walking in unison. Now that they were quiet, Sakura could appreciate her surroundings better. It smelled absolutely wonderful out here among the trees and fallen leaves. Their footsteps created satisfying crunches as they moved forward. Visibility was dim but Sakura could make out the tree trunks around her.
She blinked against the sudden brightness.
Then she gasped.
In front of her, maybe twenty yards away, was a golden orb bobbing in the air like a buoy on the ocean. Little motes of light surrounded it, swirling like a galaxy. It was absolutely otherworldly and gorgeous.
"There you go," Kotetsu whispered.
"Found one on your very first hunt," Izumo said.
"How lucky," they said.
"Now what?" Sakura asked, glancing between them.
"Approach it," Izumo said.
"Really?" Sakura asked, casting them a skeptical glance. She knew that they liked to pull practical jokes on others.
"It won't hurt you," Kotetsu said, nudging her forward.
Sakura glanced between their earnest expressions and, with a sigh, she walked forward.
She went about it tentatively, taking her time to approach the will-o'-the-wisp. It didn't do much of anything, just bobbing in place there.
She swallowed as she came closer and saw just how bright it was. She could see why will-o'-the-wisps were used as lanterns for lost travellers.
But she wasn't lost.
She came up beside it, hands within reaching distance.
She could hear Izumo and Kotetsu whispering furiously behind her.
Sakura reached out with a tentative, shaking hand.
"Sakura, don't-"
She touched it.
The will-o'-the-wisp was surprisingly cool to the touch and it vibrated beneath her hand, feeling alive. It surged upward, disappearing with a flash.
Sakura swallowed, getting the feeling that something was wrong.
She turned, hoping against hope that Izumo and Kotetsu were there.
They were not.
Instead, there was something else.
Sakura fought the sickness that roiled in her stomach.
Before her was a chimney. It was tall and thin, reaching over fifteen feet into the air. It was empty and made of solid red brick. It looked like it had been ripped out of a house and dropped here in the middle of the forest.
The chimney was surrounded on all sides by large trees and it stood out like a blight; an abnormality that besmirched the purity of the forest.
Sakura caught the faintest whispering of voices as time stood still. The voices weren't speaking English, though Sakura couldn't make out the words. There was one thing she was sure of.
The voices weren't human.
Sakura knew it somewhere deep in her gut.
The voices picked up in intensity as suddenly it felt like they were right up against her ears. Sakura fell backward, scrambling away from the chimney.
The voices were shouting, screaming at her about things she couldn't comprehend.
She bit back a shout as the chimney flared to life with green fire that roared.
The voices fell silent.
Sakura felt something wet and tacky on her face. She brushed the tears away, surprised to find that her fingers came away red.
Blood.
Sakura glanced up at the chimney and felt that same unnatural pull to approach it, to touch, to throw herself on it like a pyre .
Sakura shook her head, slapping her face to try to break the hold. The slap seemed to help as she got to her feet shakily and ran away from the chimney.
Everytime she looked back, it seemed like she hadn't moved at all.
With desperation, Sakura pulled her phone out. She had no coverage. Sakura bit back a curse, stuffing her phone away.
The phone started ringing, blaring "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch."
That broke Sakura out of her terror somewhat and she laughed under her breath as she fished her phone out. "Hear that, satanic chimney? This phone's sure got your number."
The screen on the phone was red. It answered itself the moment she pulled it out.
The voices started up again.
Sakura scowled. "You know what? You can just fuck off!"
She slammed the off button on the side of her phone and took off running again.
This time she refused to look back.
Sakura was furious.
"Sakura! Sakura! Sakura!"
Sakura could hear the desperate cries ahead of her.
She ran forward, following the noise. She ran headfirst into the arms of Kiba.
"Sakura!" he exclaimed, looking her over. "Shit. Guys, I found her!" He fumbled with something in his hands for a moment before setting off a flare.
He helped her into a seated position on the mossy forest floor, arms still around her.
"What happened Sakura?" he asked, rubbing at the blood that marred the tear tracks on her face. "Shit, you look terrible."
"Thanks," she coughed, throat hurting.
Had she been screaming?
"Where have you been? It's been hours. Izumo and Kotetsu said you were with them looking at will-o'-the-wisps and you vanished," Kiba said, cleaning her face with gentle, callused hands.
"Not will-o'-the-wisps," Sakura said.
He passed her his flask. "It's water," he assured her as he started combing hands through her hair.
She drank greedily, surprised by how parched she was. "How long?"
"It's been at least five hours," Kiba said, turning her around and nestling her against his chest as he combed through her hair. "Look up at the sky."
Sakura glanced up, seeing that it was daylight once more. She looked down at her watch, swallowing when she saw the time
10:42 AM.
Six hours.
Six hours .
"We had to call the police," Kiba said, "and the feds."
"What?" Sakura yelped, turning to glare at him.
"You were missing!" Kiba said defensively. His resolve broke first as he sighed, rubbing her shoulders. "Look, they're going to want to talk."
Sakura nodded, standing up. She touched her hair, surprised to find it in an intricate braid. "Thanks Kiba," she said, giving him a hug and passing him the flask.
People came running toward them, crashing through the trees.
Tobirama led the charge.
"I need to ask you some questions," Tobirama said, eyes narrow as he assessed her.
"Funny you should say that," Sakura said, stepping forward, anger crackling through her. "So do I."