For your Japanese lesson today, we have yukata, which I'm pretty sure is a coat of sorts. I think that green thing Tsunade wears over her shirt counts as one. Also there is sugoi, which is a generic exclamation of "Wow" or "That's so cool!" and also the ever-popular baka. Don't tell me I have to define that for you.
April 3rd, approaching evening, within Konoha.
The sun was going down, but it shone on Konoha now—the light of all the gods shone on Konoha now. Both she and Sakura could read the futility in each other's eyes when she first suggested to her apprentice that they couldn't continue to propel the bandits on their own, and they ought to try to go search for help. Sakura had strongly protested at first. She believed she was the guardian of this village, and could not accept the implication that she was failing at her duty. Tsunade smiled at such unmoving, almost naïve behavior, but then again, Sakura was a capable guardian indeed, not to be laughed at.
And she had brought home others just like her. What luck. What incredible, incredible luck. Sometime soon she'd have to drag her apprentice to a quiet place to talk about how she found them. Looking them all together, she decided they earned a place among her personal list of strange sights—and she'd borne witness to many. Hundred-sided dice, horned, howling monsters from across the sea, a man living with a hole in his head, and Jiraiya.
However, these men would still have a high place on this list. She had just seen the redheaded samurai make a human-sized puppet appear from the dog-sized satchel on his back and float above his head; met Sakura's first samurai, Deidara, a perfect copy of her friend Ino; had an internal and incredible suspicion about the two dark-haired men in the party; watched the one in priest's robes not-quite-covertly lick blood off his hand; and then watched the animalistic blonde jump for joy when he heard that there would be ramen at the feast honoring their arrival. Well, apparently among Konoha's protectors were such rarities as a sorcerer, a long-lost twin, a complete child, and the gods only knew what else.
From the corner of her eye, she saw her apprentice sneak away from the dark-haired one's side and creep along the crowd of her villagers till she was at Tsunade's side. Sakura smiled her brilliant smile, and her bright eyes waited to drink the oncoming praise. Tsunade smiled back, but first took a roll of cloth bandages from the pocket of her yukata and handed it to Sakura. She blinked in what may have been surprise and then took off a section to put on her bleeding leg.
"Well—I think this is the turning point for Konoha," Sakura began to say.
"I'm very proud of you," the blonde said.
Sakura inhaled slightly, as though absorbing the praise, and then replied, "Thank you, Tsunade-sama." Her eyes flicked back to the new samurai. "I've seen them all in combat and I know their strength is great and real. For Hidan, I saw it first-hand. I had to fight him in the street, and he was basically calling me a whore until I beat him, even after I threw my sheath straight at his face." Her happiness had faded into annoyance by the end and her eyes had narrowed a fraction.
Even in the short span of three days she had been gone, Tsunade had missed her apprentice. Seeing her emotions melt and freeze and spark had always been a small joy of hers. "You and I need to have a talk soon. I'd like to know more about them. And why the one with black hair was just holding your hand." The last comment was quick, unexpected; she'd been hoping to make Sakura blush.
Instead, the pinkette's brows came together slightly and stared at nothing. She looked more confused than embarrassed. "Yes, well…I'll tell you what I know." Her face changed again, to shock this time. "Oh, I just remembered something! Everyone, don't leave just yet!"
People's faces turned to her and the excited, happy comments quieted. Tsunade's eyes flicked to the samurai to see their reactions to her voice. Yes, their eyes were all on her. And from the stillness of a few of them, those few hadn't had to move, as they'd already had their eyes on her.
"I'd like Ino to meet Deidara." Sakura announced, and her master's mouth twisted to keep from laughing. Ino's face would be outrageous as hell. "Minna-san, where's Ino? Did she go already?"
Tsunade looked around in the crowd for Sakura's friend but couldn't find her. Apparently, when the bandits had first arrived that day and Tsunade had wisely told the villagers to stay in their homes, Ino had stayed inside. Perhaps she hadn't heard the happy voices of the others as they watched the battle? Why else would she stay inside? She stopped looking when Sakura left her side and, slowing her pace respectfully, extended her hand towards him. Tsunade's mouth parted in slight surprise, then her face sprouted a smile when she asked if he would come with her. The blonde samurai agreed and the crowd parted for them as Sakura guided him towards the farming fields.
The boy that had held her hand followed instantly and remained just a step behind Deidara; the other blonde and Hidan followed, too. Tsunade's wild grin chased them all till they reached the crest of the hill and headed downhill to the fields. In a way, she didn't have to have a certain talk with Sakura. She knew now that some facts were too obvious for her apprentice to try and hide. She'd left home to find samurai, and come back with admirers.
Of course, they'd talk about it anyway, if she had to tie Sakura to a tree to make it happen.
Now only the taller of the two black-haired men, and the redhead, remained here in the fore-section of Konoha. Villagers were slowly taking steps towards them and asking more questions. Ayame, the cook Teuchi's daughter, made her way very nervously to the redhead and presented him with a necklace strung with three little shells, which Tsunade had seen her wearing since she was little enough for her father to bounce on his knee. The redhead did observe the necklace for a moment, but then gently pushed her hand back and said something Tsunade wasn't close enough to hear. She cursed slightly; whatever it was made Ayame nod and put the necklace in a pocket. The man was apparently not greedy. Good.
She looked to the other one, the black-haired one. He was being approached and prodded by a fair amount of children, and that caught her attention. Tsunade squinted and tried to look into the red, quite literally red, eyes of the black-haired man. His mannerisms were friendly and certainly approachable, and his smile appeared genuine. But she had seen him embroiled in the fight with the bandits just ten minutes ago, and that had not been the persona she'd seen.
Whilst saving Hidan's ass, as he'd put it, Tsunade had shoved two men aside to make a space for a good swing of her sword. She'd had a moment to look through the gap she'd made. And there was that man, holding up a bandit by his neck with one arm—with a small and perfect circle of undisturbed space around him. No other bandit would enter, or even tried. They all moved smoothly around it.
Tsunade hadn't had time to see what end the unfortunate bandit had met, but she had seen the man's smile. He gave a similar smile to the children of Konoha, but his eyes showed only innocence and contentment. He was facing and interacting with the villagers like a friend. None of a typical samurai's arrogance was about him. None of his…possible family's arrogance was about him.
Well, enough with observing. It was time to meet them now. A small frown came to her face almost naturally: it would be a serious hassle if they showed disdain to the world's first female samurai.
The red-eyed man was in middle of speaking with Asuma and Kurenai; Tsunade sauntered smoothly over and planted herself next to Asuma, placing her hands in her yukata and then waiting a moment or two. The samurai realized it wouldn't do to make her wait—good!—then told the couple that he would finish his story during the feast and faced her. Standing right in front of him, Tsunade could very well measure by his height, muscular stature, hair and eyes that he…was damnably attractive. And the redhead was looking now, too. They appeared rather intrigued with her, and they damn well ought to be.
"Gentlemen, would you like to walk with me to our gathering place?" she asked them both. "I think you'll appreciate fair change of scenery after that mess."
"Yes, I would like that," the redhead replied; he had a smooth and elegant voice.
Almost at the same time, the black-haired said, "That sounds grand, Tsunade-sama." She cocked a brow at the honorific. She couldn't decide if he was being rude or proper. What few people remained scattered and began heading away to finish up their part in the feast.
"Follow me and we'll be off. You're not obligated, but I'd like it if you told me something about yourselves while we walk." She added as they began moving, with herself in between the both of them. "I have no way of knowing if you're keeping secrets. But it's only fair that Konoha knows some things its protectors."
"I would like one question of my own answered first." The redhead replied. Tsunade inclined her head towards him. "Where do the rest of the villagers live? There are only five houses on this hill."
The five homes here were actually arranged in such a manner that from straight on, from where the battle had taken place, one could not look past them to see anything beyond. The three samurai walked around the last of them and now they were able to see that the hill that sloped rather steeply downward and halted before a wide, flat expanse of lush, cultivated farmland, cut through by straight paths. At the far end of the farmland was a set of other hills. Atop those, a greater number of homes could be seen.
"Most of Konoha is actually over there, samurai-san. Only five of thirty-two homes are over here." She said gratuitously; the view did most of the answering.
"Why arrange it in such a way, though?" said the black-haired one as they picked their way carefully down the hill. Crickets could be heard chirping below.
"There used to be just one up in the front, and that's where the village head and his family lived, but we haven't had a head for a long time. The other four were built just two months ago." Her voice was laced with contempt now. "We were first attacked in February, and it's only because Sakura and I were practically on that hill ourselves that the bandits didn't run down it and burn our crops. Two days after that, Sakura and her friend Lee came to me with an idea. They suggested building more houses on this hill."
The contempt was thankfully replaced with pride. "As those two noted, with just one house and a lot of empty space on this hill, the bandits could very well try to come over and make their camp here, a stone's throw from our crops and our livelihood. They're less inclined to do that if the potential camping spot is filled up with sturdy homes and leaves no space for them. Nowadays, if anyone who lives in those five houses sees the bandits coming, they each have a very loud and annoying bell they can ring to warn everyone, even those in the back section."
A smile lifted her lips at the memory. "So, as the snow was melting in February and the bandits sat a quarter mile away, staring at us, a handful of us villagers were merrily building houses. Besides the practicality, it was also a damn good snub in those pigs' faces. They could glare and project as much hate at they wanted. We simply had no time or effort to spare for chatting with them." If only that were the case now.
They were at the bottom of the hill now. The grassy ground evened out quickly and the blonde chose one of the prettier paths through the fields to walk through with them, the one called the butterfly path. Wheat rose up fine and wispy on their left and right and the tallest leaves gleamed with reflected, fading sunlight.
"So you're a samurai and a carpenter?" chuckled the black-haired one.
"And a doctor," she couldn't resist adding. "It was my first calling."
"Really." Murmured the redhead. The curiosity in his voice made Tsunade flick her eyes towards him.
"Hm? Have you got any kind of sickness or injury I can help you with?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No. I merely have an interest in healing, as well. My grandmother taught me."
A man learning anything from a female was enough to catch her attention. She decided to test him. "A grandmother…Did she teach you the remedy for black bones? The one that supposedly only old folk know?"
He raised one fine brow and replied, "You're talking about that nonsense with rabbit meat and feverfew? That's a merchant's trick to sell to desperate fools. You can't mean that, can you?"
"I mean exactly that," she grinned. "The fact that you know it's nothing but nonsense is impressive. A third healer in the village will be welcome."
"Is the second that woman who wears rabbit feet around her neck?" asked the redhead.
"You mean Anko. No, she's a butcher. The second is Sakura. She is learning both swordsmanship and healing." She stared ahead on the butterfly path with half-lidded eyes. "Speaking of which, I notice the two of you—all the samurai, in fact—have been paying a special sort of attention to her. You, for example," she eyed the tall, red-eyed one now, who smiled mildly back. "When the bandits began heading away and you all walked that last stretch to Konoha, you made sure to walk that stretch with your arms splayed over my daughter, and you kissed her. What am I supposed to make of that?"
The man smiled. "I'm attracted to your daughter, Tsunade-sama." He replied plainly, and the world around them seemed just as silent and shocked as Tsunade. "I don't judge women merely on beauty, you know. She has that, and more. Her eyes are very expressive, and she moves like a bird, even when she's angry. She talks about you and Konoha so much I'd almost think this place is her own god. I admit I wish I could have that role. I want to make that a fact."
Tsunade all but gaped. Eyes. Beautiful. Her god.
"How curious that one can hear similar testimonies from convicted pedophiles," the redhead spat—spat!—immediately after him.
"How curious that you're pretending you don't think the same," the black-haired man replied cheekily.
"I didn't see you protecting Sakura when that monster of a man was thrusting tentacles at her, or at any other time." He replied a little more calmly, but then glared. "When she was shedding those pigs' blood, I kept them from striking her from behind. I watched her and protected her at every possible moment."
"You watched her?" the taller fellow repeated tightly.
"Of course, rat-eyes. She's powerful. She's entrancing."
They started to argue. She didn't hear them.
Entrancing. Protected.
Who the fuck said anyone could call Sakura those things.
"Shut your mouths." Tsunade hissed. They did. Even the crickets hiding in the crops went quiet. They may very well have been feeling the overflow of her rage. The gods only knew it was hurting her to keep it contained and keep from ripping the hair from these men. She looked at the redhead now. "So you think the same of her. Both of you. Both—and any others in the group?"
They were smart enough to answer her quickly. "Every man she brought here." Said the one that had been called "rat-eyes." "I think you're talking to the two most stable of them right now."
"Stable." She stated. They knew it was a question and knew she was quietly demanding an answer. They each gave her some.
"The younger blonde. Naruto?" the redhead supplied. "The one who danced when he heard the word 'ramen' a few minutes ago? He goes into a literal rage when someone threatens your daughter. And that cultist gets aroused at the sight of blood. You may have seen that when you fought with him."
"That one who held her hand is my nephew. Sasuke. He's moody, and possessive as a child. If the choice comes up, he'll save Sakura instead of your villagers without thinking."
"The other blonde is—"
Tsunade stopped walking. "I don't care." They stopped, too, a step ahead of her, and both wore cautious masks. "Sakura has had two sorts of admirers. The sort that gaze in awe at the complete upset of social standards that she is, and those that whistle at her from tavern bars and call her things you'd call a pretty whore. Which are you? What will you do, that I'll have to guard her from?" The last comment was spoken with an unveiled suspicion.
"What do you mean, 'guard?'" asked the raven-head.
Tsunade fought to keep from sneering or hissing at him. He knew damn well what she meant. "Are you going to steal her clothes when she bathes? Sneak in and touch her while she sleeps? Touch yourself while she sleeps?" Their faces were beyond shocked now, but she couldn't let them have time to interrupt. "I'm a mother, samurai-san. My first duty is my child's safety and happiness. And if you threaten that, if your force anything on her, I will throw you to Kakuzu and help him gut you."
The three of them stood in the butterfly path, silent and wary of each other. The samurai woman soared inside: her claim of protection was made. They'd be goddamn careful of putting their lustful hands near her daughter now.
The quieter one was first to speak. "Nothing as vulgar as that will happen, Tsunade-sama. I won't rip your daughter from your side like a desperate drunk. I want her to come to me of her own will, and that will happen by whatever means I can find, whatever means Sakura will like."
'He wants Sakura to come to him.' Tsunade thought, slightly soothed. 'Like a fish to a line. Or a cat to a treat.'
"Hmm, so gentlemanly." The raven-haired one commented pleasantly, then met Tsunade's eyes. "He will take his time luring her, then. I suppose that's fine. I prefer direct approaches. Sakura knows I'm open and always happy to be near her. She will appreciate my treating her as a dearly loved equal. And I will love her for everything that she is."
Tsunade's eyes were wide as tea saucers and she did not know if it was right for her heart to flutter, or for protective rage to consume her again. The redhead's were narrowed in undisguised hate…or jealousy?
The raven-haired fellow's eyes swung slowly away, almost shyly. "Not everyone prefers…open, open as I am. Sasuke never lets me forget that he thinks I'm irritating as nails on glass. But if she ends up disliking me, I will know I tried my best. I've never been afraid to take gambles."
Without her consent her mind latched onto that last word. Without her consent her voice was asking about it. "What other kinds of gambles do you take?"
"Whatever he feels is fun at the time." The redhead answered for him, then clarified, "I've spent a lot of time in the capital in my life, and there you hear about the affairs of everyone. Two years ago, was it, sometime in September? You lost an amount that could have bought a hundred horses."
"Once!" The raven-haired man spat back. "And only once! And the losses were made up in the end."
'He gambles. Or did 'once.'' Tsunade thought. Again, without her consent, a smile crawled up her face, but it wasn't for the gambler alone. She now had insight into these men's minds. Neither would force. Both would try to encourage Sakura to come to their sides by herself. By being…good. 'What truly godlike men you've found, Sakura. They will never leave you.'
'Nor will they ever leave you alone.' Her smile turned catlike.
Now they were both watching her smile almost deviously, her hands in her sleeves and a twinkle in her eye. For the second time, they were wary of her (good!). She inhaled a bit and said, "If both of you are telling the truth about this, then I'm delighted, and you have my blessing." The deviousness faded just a bit when she added, "Sakura has a strange lack of interest in a love life for a young woman. Her desire to be Konoha's guardian consumes her almost completely. One of you two, or one of the others, even, will have to show her that life is bigger than that. Will you do that?"
The redhead said in his pretty voice that yes, he would, he would teach her that, and Tsunade trusted him. The other one did, too, but his eyes suddenly weren't so playful anymore, and his smile wasn't so innocent. Tsunade recognized the face of a man thinking something absolutely, undeniably sexual but let it alone. Just this once.
She said to both of them, "Good luck to both of you…and beware." She turned and started walking again, wondering as their steps sounded behind her whether they'd take the final comment as from her wrath or Sakura's. Then she stopped, turned around and halted right in front of them.
"Er, I'm not comfortable giving permission for my daughter to be courted…" Tsunade imagined a hand the size of a horse slapping her for her idiocy. "…by men whose names I totally forgot to ask."
The red-eyed one bowed slightly. "Uchiha Madara." He said. Tsunade's earlier suspicions were confirmed. She had an —no, two —Uchiha on her side. Luck be damned.
She had no guess for the redhead, though, and watched while he bowed as well, the bangles on his wrist clinking pleasantly. "Akasuna Sasori, my lady." The name rolled neatly through her mind: Akasuna. It sounded sophisticated, aristocratic. As respectable as him.
She was glad to know their names now, but learning people's names after having a deeply important conversation with them was awkward so she wasn't sure what to say or do now. She grasped for something to say; if she couldn't handle this situation, handle all situations, their wariness and respect for her strength could fade by any increment. She settled for, "Well, we've hardly got a stone's throw to go. Let's hurry. Tell me your favorite things to eat. I know where every dish is going to be set up."
She listened, and told them which part of the long reed mat would hold their favorites. She listened, but her mind was elsewhere: here, there, out over there, and other places not appropriate to be mentioned.
April 3rd, sunset, within Konoha.
With every beat of his heart, his blood pulse. And with each beat and pulse, Sakura was feeling Uchiha Sasuke on her hand, but the feel of him wouldn't stay just there. It managed to get into her stomach, and boil and churn there, till she felt just shy of positive that she was about to be sick. It wouldn't do to look at him, either. He was goddamned pretty, and his appearance attracted the eyes. Attracted? Dammit.
It wasn't like her to be so quiet. Especially since they had all told her that being quiet just in the hopes that she wouldn't irritate them was just annoying. So she'd have to talk. Odd, that that was sounding difficult now.
"Sakuraaaaa!" Thank the gods, Lee was here!
He came speeding down the hill and started down the salamander path, straight towards them and looking like he was charging up a hug. Sakura tugged Sasuke's hand and muttered, "Let go. Let go or he'll guhh." Whatever she could have said was stopped by Lee's arms crushing the air out of her.
"Oh, Sakura, I'm so happy to see your return!" Lee gushed, and for once she wasn't too happy to receive it. "You were gone a day later than usual, did you know? An entire day without you!"
"The hell is that?" Hidan spat.
Sasuke's grip on her hand had only tightened, and his voice was a threat: "Sakura…"
"Lee! Lee, get off! You have to meet these people."
Lee gasped and tore off of her like she had something contagious. He bowed sharply, once twice, thrice…then started crying. "Gods above, samurai have come at last! You're here, great warriors! I simply cannot believe I just ignored you as I have! I have only the flimsy excuse of caring for my friend's safe return! I'll think of a punishment for that insolence!"
That was a flimsy excuse for him? She bonked the side of her fist on his head as Hidan sniggered behind her. "That's a good reason, baka! I missed you, too! Now, look." She gestured with her free hand to Hidan at her side. "I guess you were still in the back section of the village when they arrived. Here are some of our samurai. Two more are still in the fore section."
Wiping away tears, Lee bowed again, presenting himself formally. He put a hand across his chest. "I, Rock Lee, am a devoted villager of Konoha, great samurai! I am a runner of messages, and sometimes a watchtower guard!"
"Watchtower guard?" Naruto repeated behind her. "You didn't say you had a watchtower."
There were indeed a few things about Konoha she hadn't mentioned to them. She settled for gently swinging her hand in Sasuke's and whispering like it was a great secret, "We have a watchtower."
"Hey, Sakura!" cried another new voice, and the pinkette gleefully recognized Asuma's strong voice. He was on one of the many parallel paths, the closes one, the rabbit path. She could see his arm waving above the corn stalks. "Would you take them to the gathering place? We're all finished."
"Already?" She called back.
"Tsunade did tell you 'within the hour.' I'll see you there!" He broke into a light run and went towards the large back section of the village. Lee sputtered a quick goodbye and ran to the gathering place, probably to be a server. She was left alone with the samurai again.
She didn't let the pause drag on. "Are you hungry or not? I could always eat your food for you," she muttered.
"You steal any kind of meat from me and there will be divine punishment involved." Hidan said almost threateningly, and she had to laugh. He sounded almost like Kiba. "In fact, if you don't do what that guy said and be a good little lady and escort us there, you're probably goin' to hell. So let's move!" He pushed on her back and Sasuke's, which got a grin out of her and an unpleasant growl from Sasuke.
She felt his hand on hers still and tried to soothe him: "Just move along, Sasuke. We'll be there in just a minute and you'll have people begging for a chance to fill your plate for you."
"You had better sit next to me," he grumbled.
"And me!" Naruto piped.
Deidara growled at them. "Now who's five years old?" Sakura laughed aloud at that, and a breeze blew by. Again she realized that Konoha was safe now. It was safe to…be happy.
The farm field ended and a series of little hills appeared before them. Sakura steered her little herd over to the largest one and they climbed it. Houses peeked up over the top of it, and once they'd reached the top, they could see a great many villagers rushing from various homes and storage houses with pots and dishes and armfuls of chopsticks. She sped up, guiding them around several homes and through one small garden till they came upon the gathering place. The pinkette watched all of their faces as it came into view, wondering at their thoughts.
The gathering place was merely the only area in this part of the village that had no homes on it; it was clear and flat and empty but for the fire-pit in the middle, and for this occasion, three reed mats sitting in front of it, decorated with dishes, pots, plates and bowls of all types of foods. Sakura paused to look at Deidara, and noticed how his eyes flickered at everything, at every dish, as though he liked the variety as opposed to the feast itself. Well, he damn well ought to appreciate the variety: Kurenai's New Year's dumplings were piled high on her treasured red china plate, salted pork was lined in neat little rows that surely Hinata had arranged, and on the far left mat, there was a giant, steaming pot of ramen that Naruto had been anticipating.
"Sakura-chan." Naruto whispered in her ear. "I think I just died."
"Am I seeing ribs, on the right?" Hidan asked. She confirmed with a nod, and he added on, "Oh, fuck yeah." And licked his lips. It felt odd letting her gaze linger on such a thing as Hidan's lips, so she looked at the food, too. Except now, Tsunade was blocking the view of the front mat. She slammed her sword down on the ground and placed her hands on it.
"Samurai-san!" she boomed, and all who had gathered listened. "Your presence here is a gift so large we can't even put it into words. All we can do is give you a gift back, and here it is. Every delicacy Konoha has to offer, and it's yours. Thank you for being a part of us, and thank Kami-sama my daughter found you all." Her eyes glinted; Sakura smiled out of habit, and suddenly felt the feather-smooth sweep of Sasuke's fingers over her palm.
"Kami -sama is great and all, but I'd like to thank whoever made the ramen," Naruto noted. "can I have that first, Tsunade-sama?"
"I don't care what you have first." Tsunade scoffed. Behind her, someone lit the fire, and brought light to the dark evening. "You have it all first. Konoha's saviors, if you would please take what you like…" She stepped out of the way and invited them to come.
Deidara and Naruto went first, the former passing her with a quiet, "Come, you too." Once they were halfway there and the villagers were murmuring and laughing at the celebration, she couldn't ignore the owner of the hand who still held hers.
Sasuke met her eyes and she held them steadily. "Do you have any favorite foods?" she asked him. "I guarantee it's somewhere in there. But you'll have to wait if it's ramen. Naruto's sprawled over the entire pot."
He paused before answering, which was completely unnecessary, in her opinion. "I'm fond of tomatoes, in any form."
"Well…" She glanced over at the flurry of activity taking place at the mats, and tried to remember which dishes various people had planned on making before she'd left for Tanzaku. "There are tomatoes mixed in with the salted pork. There are dumplings with diced tomatoes in them. There's a little plate of tomato slices covered with basil leaves. Somewhere."
Thankfully he did not try to fondle her hand in any way again, merely replied, "First comes your food. I refuse to go to the salted pork when Madara is there."
Sakura scoffed at him. "Fine. I like plums, and they're on the very edge of the left mat. Let's go before Iruka eats them."
With many villagers and a fair amount of samurai bustling around, Sakura fetched two plates and plopped a group of plums onto hers. Chouji appeared, wearing his father's wartime headband, and insisting on filling Sasuke's plate. Sasuke let him and made a big show of acting irritated about it. On one hand, it was childish, on the other, quite funny. She asked for a fan and someone brought her one, and she gratefully blew cool air onto her face, refreshing when standing near the steam of so much hot food.
People sat in a loose mob, anywhere in the clearing, with clusters around each samurai. Sakura sat down several meters from the fire, which was awfully close to Sasori, she found. He raised his hand in a vague wave to her, then returned to answering a question that Shikaku was plaguing him with. Sasuke ate his tomatoes first.
Some twenty minutes later, Kiba's sister Hana stood up and waved to her. "Sakura, I think it's time for some entertainment!"
Many heads went up at this. Naruto's was first, and he had the face of a confused dog. Sakura started to flush, either with pride or embarrassment, she honestly couldn't tell. "Hana, I've just eaten! You want me to get sick? Is that your twisted plan?"
Grinning like many other villagers, Hana put a hand on her hip and replied airily, "I was only thinking that the samurai you found probably don't know that when you're at home, you turn into an acrobat every couple nights."
"Acrobat?" Madara repeated, sitting up.
Hana proudly faced him and said, "Yes, but a violent one! You should have seen her, one day last November—"
"Y-Yeah, I'll do something!" Sakura said, standing up suddenly. "Oh, my sword—what—who took my sword?"
It suddenly appeared, coming up towards her face. "You put it down by your legs, Sakura." Sasuke told her.
"Ah. Yes." She took the sword and its sheath in her hand, then looked at the crowd sprawled out all around her. "I'll need some room, please. I don't want to spear you all." Immediately, folk began to move around, clearing her a space like an oval, or an egg, of which she was the peak, as always. The samurai were watching with great curiosity. 'I can't disappoint them.' She thought. 'If I ever impressed anyone…I had better do it well, right now!'
As Hana said, she'd done this a thousand times. Indeed, every couple nights, or just whenever the children demanded it, Sakura would leap around with her sword, or two swords or three, throwing them and catching them and sending them flying high into the sky with a beast's strength, and many more things it was far too arrogant to list. But how to start?
Well. By stepping, probably. Sakura took two steps forward. Then moved her left arm far out. The sword was held delicately between her middle and ring fingers. She felt its smoothness, closed her eyes, breathed. Breathed again. Calm. No violence here, no.
With utmost grace, Sakura swung the sword around, balancing on one foot, then swung it straight up. The sheath slipped off and landed somewhere far away with a barely-audible clatter. She was almost facing Deidara now, and he'd dropped a chopstick onto his phoenix-painted cloak at the sight of her. But she'd hardly done anything! Sakura could not help but smile here. Now for the true show.
Now Sakura exhaled, and in that exhale she swung her entire body, and the sword swished out of her grip, flipping around and around and it would stick into her shoulder in another moment—thwack! She struck the handle with the flat of her hand and in just half a moment it was flipping the other way, too quickly—thwack! She struck it again and it flew towards her shoulder again, and another thwack, and another, and Sakura was striking it repeatedly, using that constant movement to keep it in midair.
"Sugoi," gasped Ino from somewhere she couldn't see. Sakura grinned again. Ino thought any and all actions with a sword were incredible, but this one very well was. It had taken several years of sliced skin and a few cut nerves to master it.
Now she struck from below, and with her true strength. Her fist hit the bottom of the sword's handle, and it went blade-first into the sky.
Hidan said something that did not sound as though it were Japanese, but he was mostly drowned out by various gasps and exhales of awe. Now Sakura gulped. This had given her the most injuries in the past. Tsunade had given her more than a few punches when she'd kept practicing it despite Tsunade insisting her strengths were pure power and not agility. Well, guess who won that one, mother dear?
The sword was coming down again, blade down. She realized now she probably should have kept the sheath, as it would have been damn impressive to catch it inside the sheath, but alas, she'd have to do without. Now Sakura moved to the left a little, to be straight underneath the sword. She put out her hand, open slightly. A rush of silver flooded her eyes—and she caught it by the blade.
There wasn't even a full second of quiet; Kiba's unmistakable voice burst out, "Yeaaahhh!"
Close to a hundred other congratulatory comments flowed her way, and she breathed in and out, smiling, feeling wonderful, happy, and best of all, at home again. Her home had new residents for now—like Naruto, not even five meters away, staring with his jaw hanging open; or Madara, who had pushed his hair aside so both eyes could see—but it was home, and she would defend it till her last, bleeding breath.
The eyes of her samurai watching her all made her think that, yes, they would, too.
Whoo! Glad that's over with. Oddly enough, just like Chapter three, this chapter was rushed towards the end because I told myself I would update something before I went to my local anime convention, and I thought this would be appreciated more than Pathway (though I can't shake my addiction to the Pokemon-Naruto crossover for the life of me.)
But the first POV section is more important, I think. We have yet to get into Tsunade's mind and find out what she thinks about all this, and now we have. She is a little over-proud, being the first known female samurai ever, and gets a little mad when she doesn't get her extremely deserved respect. But she can put that aside a little if Konoha's safety gets in the way. She's also crazy protective of her adoptive daughter, as you may have guessed when the two most suave of our samurai admitted to her that they were very interested in said daughter. However, as the chapter title indicates, she did give her blessing to try their best at courting Sakura (though many samurai spent the chapter walking around and laughing with her, forming a starting friendship, which they need before becoming "involved" with her, ja?). So Sakura can't depend on her mama do protect her from suitors. Oho~
See you soon.