A/N: I am so thrilled to say that, after years of dedication and perseverance, I have finally accomplished a dream of mine long in the making… I graduated with my Bachelor's in Science of Nursing!
Now that I don't have to spend every spare moment studying, I can finally focus my attention back onto my passions like writing, haha. Thank you all for your love and support, it absolutely meant the world to me as I faced one of the most difficult challenges of my life!
While the task of creating tinctures, salves, and pills was once arduous and tiring, Sakura found that she now enjoyed the time spent crafting her medicines. It was easy to find an rhythm to get lost in while she worked. While the medications required the utmost accuracy in how they were prepared, she was so familiar with the process that times like these became more meditative than tedious.
She found herself needing these quiet moments where she could let her mind go blank in order to cope with the sense of hopelessness that only grew alongside the days she spent cut off from her loved ones in her time.
It was during one of these calming sessions as she worked to craft a new supply of antiemetics - the only sounds being the gentle bubbling of her boiling elixir and the sound of her mortar and pestle as she ground down the dried shavings of a ginger root - that she was visited by her two closest companions during this time.
While she had already sensed their familiar chakras during their approach, Madara and Izuna were still polite enough to knock on the nearly always open fusuma on the side of her home.
"Come in," Sakura called out, carefully mixing the ground ginger root into the boiling elixir before extinguishing the flame and allowing the mixture to cool.
"Hard at work as always, I see," Madara commented as him and his brother entered her living space.
"I have to to keep up with you and your danger prone family," she joked as she stood, wiping the debris from her work from her skirts, "I'm afraid I haven't started dinner yet if you're looking for a questionable meal."
"Your cooking has gotten much better these past few months," he returned cheekily.
"You know the polite response would be to say that my cooking has always been fantastic."
"We know you don't appreciate being lied to," Izuna replied, a bite to his tone as he finally spoke.
Ever since the battle against the Senju when Sakura had intervened in Izuna's fight with Tobirama, Izuna had been sour with her, every one of their interactions painted with his lingering distaste. As the days he maintained his hostility grew, she found her patience for the man wearing thinner and thinner.
Raising an irritated brow at him, Sakura deadpanned, "Well then to what do I owe this lovely visit?"
"We're organizing our yearly trek to Sora-ku, a merchant city run by a weapons manufacturer who supplies all of the ninja clans. Izuna takes this trip annually to resupply the armaments that Manchira can't craft on her own. Among other things, of course," Madara explained.
Sakura immediately recognized the name of the city as being one that she had visited once as a child.
It had been when she was still a genin and when Team Seven had still been whole. Her, Naruto, and Sasuke had been sent on a mission to retrieve the pawprint of the powerful ninja cat Nekomata. She remembered the city as being rundown and nearly abandoned, the only two humans that she had met there being their employer - the elder woman Nekobaa - and her granddaughter Tamaki.
She briefly wondered if the city was as derelict now as it would be in the future before her thoughts were overcome by a single pressing question: would Sora-ku hold the key to finding her way home?
Sakura had long since read through all of the material in the Uchiha's private library that held any hope of providing her with clues for crafting the space time jutsu she needed to return home. Unwilling to give up yet unable to search elsewhere for clues, she had continued in her unrelated studies, her quickly rising desperation and constant dread a familiar weight in the back of her mind.
She had begun to wonder if she would be forced to abandon the Uchiha once their contract was finished to instead search for another clan in the hopes of utilizing their libraries. She dreaded the thought that she may one day be forced to make a deal with the Senju, her closest friends' bitter rivals and a clan that she doubted would allow her anywhere near their family for anything less than her blood as well as her jutsu.
More than anything, Sakura was scared that she would have to face the possible truth that she was trapped in the past and that there was nothing she could do to return home. That she was destined to be here and stay here until the end of her days. That she would never see her family, her friends, or her mentors again.
Now, hearing that there would soon be an expedition to a merchant city that specialized in supplying the ninja clans, she felt the fading ember of hope within her flare into a flame once again. Hope that Sora-ku may be the place that contained the answers she needed bloomed within her, fueled further by the energy from her carefully concealed desperation.
"I want to come too," Sakura immediately declared, earning confused looks from both brothers.
"Why?" Izuna questioned as Sakura mentally floundered for an explanation.
"There are a number of supplies that I need for my medicines that I need to be there to verify," Sakura answered quickly, her words not a lie but not the truth either, "I need to be able to see the product to make sure it's the right materials and that they're of good enough quality for my research."
"Could you not provide a list of what you need with descriptions of each item? I would prefer you stay here in the village with me in case there's an emergency," Madara suggested.
"That's not possible," Sakura returned, shaking her head, "There are a number of plants that I need to research poisons and craft medicines. Some harmless herbs look nearly identical to deadly plants and I need to be able to lay eyes on them to verify they are what I need."
"Do you not think of me as being intelligent enough to tell the difference between an herb and a poison?" Izuna huffed, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Can you spot the difference between hemlock and alyssum? Can you tell hemlock from white snakeroot? How about wolfsbane and the bearded iris? Can you identify the difference between the edible kinds of nightshade and the deadly ones?" Sakura interrogated, "Even if you trust these merchants to not trick you, are you positive that they will know the difference too?"
Izuna's eyes narrowed. "We can't risk our healer going on a mission with me in case there's an attack. You're just going to have to trust me to get what you need and stay back where you belong."
Bristling at Izuna's comment, Sakura shot back, "I'm no slave to you and I will not be held prisoner here based on what ifs. I should be more than welcome to join if one of the clan heads is planning on going with little more than a squad of people."
"I'll be perfectly fine, I can handle myself. I don't need your help. I'm the second most powerful shinobi in this clan and nothing ever has or ever will stand in my way."
"I could kick your ass any day so, in reality, you're third best! By that logic, I should be going and you can stay here where you belong," Sakura growled, her anger now rising more from her aggravation with Izuna than her need to be a part of this mission.
"You could try-!" Izuna snarled in return before he was interrupted by Madara grabbing his shoulder and leveling him with a heavy look. There was a long moment of silence between the brothers before Izuna looked away with a scoff.
"Sakura, you are no slave to us and you never will be. You're not only our healer, you're a valued part of the clan now," Madara tried to mitigate before adding on, "Although, as our hired medic, you must consider the medical needs of the clan first."
Sakura, anger still burning within her, opened her mouth to retort but Madara quickly cut her off, holding up a staying hand.
"However, I have become fairly skilled with basic medical ninjutsu under your guidance and it is not as if we were entirely hopeless before your arrival in regards to treating wounds and illness. If you two can stop fighting-" he emphasized, leveling Izuna with a pointed stare, "-and make it a hasty trip, I do not see why Sakura cannot accompany you to Sora-ku."
"You can't be serious, Madara. After that bold assault from the Senju, you think it's a good idea for both of us to be gone?"
"Our family is not so pathetic that they cannot defend themselves without you, me, or Sakura around," Madara scolded, eyes narrowed, "Furthermore, the Senju wouldn't dare an attack so soon. They are too busy licking their wounds. Now is the opportune time for this mission."
"If anything, Sakura should have a place of honor during this trip since it was her who grievously wounded both Toka and Tobirama," Madara added, "If the Senju were to be so careless as to brave an attack during your absence, the only shinobi of any notable danger who would be well enough to fight would be Hashirama and I can handle him just fine."
"Tch… I suppose," Izuna finally agreed with a scowl before glaring at Sakura, "These supplies you are so desperate to get ahold of better be of some substantial benefit."
"Being able to procure these medical supplies doesn't just help me and my research, it helps your family too. I can't fix every problem with just ninjutsu. There are many poisons, illnesses, and injuries that require specialized medicine alongside jutsu. Being able to get ahold of the supplies I need will only make it so I can save more lives," Sakura detailed firmly although she refrained from allowing the bite from earlier to seep into her tone.
Izuna's expression softened around the edges before he muttered, "Very well. We'll be leaving at dawn so I suggest you gather whatever supplies you need for a week long mission."
"Wear your armor," he tacked on before turning his back on them both and leaving.
Madara and Sakura watched Izuna's back as he left, silently exiting through the door they came in not ten minutes previous. Sakura looked up to Madara and met his eyes, her anger from before finally melting away and concern rearing its head in her heart.
"Is…" she started, eyebrows furrowing, "Is he okay?"
"He always gets like this after battling against Tobirama," Madara sighed before admitting, "It's likely he's a bit more irritable since you helped him during his fight. It was a blow to his pride, getting help from someone during a battle with his rival."
Sakura frowned, unsure of what to say, before Madara offered her a comforting smile. "Don't concern yourself too much. This will fade with time as all hurts do. I'd worry yourself more with preparing for this mission."
"I can admit I'm still worried about leaving everyone, even if it's only for a little bit. I feel…" Sakura tried to search for the right word, struggling with the thought that she could be putting the people she cared about in danger by pursuing her own goals. "...selfish for demanding to go, even though it's to help everyone too."
"I'll be here to make sure everyone is safe, same as before you arrived here. You can leave knowing everything will be the same as you left it when you return home."
Sakura simply smiled in response, her heart both swelling with joy and aching with longing as she thought of the Uchiha village as her home.
That next morning, before the sun had fully risen and while it slowly painted the horizon in shades of purple, Sakura ate a small breakfast of some fruit.
Afterwards, she changed from her sleep clothes into the pants and shirt provided by Madara and Izuna, the significance of the Uchiha clan crest displayed across her back still not lost to her. Working quickly, she secured her pant legs to her calves with long strips of bandages before maneuvering the armor gifted to her from it's stand to her body.
The now familiar weight of the finely crafted armor brought with it a sense of comfort as well as a whisper of shame that had yet to pass. Ignoring the niggling sensation of guilt, she strapped the scroll containing her axe and emergency medical supplies for the field to her lower back before finally tying her hair in a low ponytail.
Taking a deep breath to center herself, she exited her bedroom and briefly stopped next to her front door to don her shinobi sandals - shoes much more practical for battle than the geta she normally wore with her yukatas and kimonos.
It took Sakura little time to tread the familiar pathway leading up to the main household, a large home where she spotted a squadron of three armored Uchiha already waiting out front. With the sun not yet peeking over the horizon, Sakura couldn't identify the individuals in the group but, as she drew closer, she recognized a couple of familiar faces.
Although she had seen little of them since their first meeting when she cured them of their poisoning - the brief time before she had even become the Uchiha clan's healer - Katsumi and Katsurou both appeared to still be in good health. The sister's normally loose, raven colored hair was tied into a haphazard braid while the brother's short, wild locks crowned his head like a dark halo.
Another woman who Sakura did not recognize stood next to them, her chestnut hair cropped short and analytical eyes looking to her curiously. She had never treated the unfamiliar woman at her clinic so Sakura took this as a sign of the kunoichi's skill. Greeting her with a smile, she was pleased to earn an uneven but easy smile in return.
When she approached the group, the young kunoichi Katsumi turned and greeted her with a nod. "It's good to see you again, Lady Sakura."
"How have you been? It's been some time," Katsurou added on, patting Sakura on the shoulder as he drew her into the small group that had gathered.
"Things have been very good. It's nice to see you both. I trust the fact I haven't seen you in my clinic means you have been taking care of yourselves as well as Katsuo and Eiko?" Sakura asked in a friendly tone, wondering about the health of the two siblings' young brother and their mother, both of whom had helped during the poison extraction.
"Of course," the sister answered proudly with a quirk of her lips.
"We learned our lesson the hard way first time," the brother chuckled.
"That's comforting," Sakura answered before turning to regard the unfamiliar woman, "I don't believe we've met yet."
"It is no trouble, I'm rarely in the village after all. I am usually in the squadrons that are sent out on missions or with the scouts. My name is Saori. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Lady Sakura," Saori introduced formally although a crooked smile remained on her face, "I specialize in earth jutsu and I am a sensor. I hope our mission will be fruitful and frightless."
"I hope so too. I look forward to our journey together," Sakura agreed before the sound of the fusuma nearby sliding open drew their attention.
"Good morning. I trust everyone is ready for the journey to Sora-ku?" Izuna greeted as he closed the fusuma behind him and stepped down from the engawa to approach them.
"Same as every year," Katsurou chuckled in return, earning an eye roll from his sister.
"Are there any alterations to our route this time around? Saori was mentioning how there has been a lot of shifting in the territories surrounding us these past few months," Katsumi questioned.
"We will be taking the same route as last year since the territories between here and Sora-ku itself have not moved substantially. The previous route should still be the safest available for arrival and return," Izuna detailed efficiently,
"I would like to suggest that we make a slight deviation. The mountain pass, while longer, will be much safer than the river route. During my last mission, we were forced to contend with a small strikeforce of Senju in the marshes. While I doubt their territory has expanded so far, my team and I believe it's likely they have made a deal with one of the villages in the area," Saori suggested, Izuna nodding thoughtfully in return.
"Of course. We will alter our path to take the mountain trail instead then. This will be better for both you as an earth jutsu user and for Sakura since she can more easily fight in open spaces," Izuna amended before nodding to Sakura, no sign of his previous agitation in his gesture, "As I'm sure you've all noticed: our group is much smaller than last year. This is because Sakura will be accompanying us in order to gather medicinal supplies while we're in the city."
The others in the group nodded in understanding, Katsurou patting Sakura on the back and grinning at her.
"Madara and I have decided to keep as many reinforcements here at home as we could to protect the village during our absence. Same as last time, our journey should take five days: two days to arrive, one to barter, and two to return," Izuna explained succinctly, "Are there any concerns you wish to discuss before our departure?"
"Nothing we can't deal with if it makes the mistake of challenging us!" Katsurou declared loudly, Katsumi smirking at his side. Even Sakura couldn't help but smile, the joke dissolving the formal air and making her feel more comfortable.
"Very well then," Izuna chuckled, shaking his head in amusement, "Let's move."
With the name of the mission being stealth as opposed to strength, the journey to Sora-ku was entirely uneventful. With the sensor Saori helping navigate them around threats, they faced no troubles during the first leg of their mission. For this journey, it was more important to remain unnoticed so that there were no ambushes awaiting them while they returned home with their purchased goods.
On the first night, they camped out in the mountains in a network of caves that Saori had utilized once before with her team. Sakura found herself enormously grateful for the kunoichi's presence since her being on the team made the trek astoundingly comfortable. Not only was she a talented sensor but she was a spectacular cook. After sending them all out to forage, she was able to cook a phenomenal stew with the scant ingredients they returned with.
The next day was much the same as the first with Saori leading them around potential obstacles and with little more than a handful of words being shared between the otherwise silent group. It wasn't until near dusk that they finally descended from the mountains and into a deserted, craggy plain.
Their surroundings were entirely lifeless for miles around and, at first, Sakura was confused when Izuna had declared that they had arrived. It wasn't until she felt the niggling sensation at the back on her neck that Sakura realized that they were caught in a genjutsu, something she confirmed with her companions all having their sharingans activated
Feeling the gentle tugging of the spider web like net of the concealing jutsu, Sakura immediately altered the flow of chakra in her body to break the illusion's hold. As she did, the vision of an endless, barren wasteland fell away, instead revealing a flourishing city.
Enormously tall buildings sat in the center of the sprawling city, the towering structures unlike any she had seen during this time but more than familiar for her own. Lights shone brightly in the windows of the homes and businesses that laid ahead and, even from this distance, she could hear the tune of far away music and voices.
This thriving village looked nothing like the abandoned city in her time. This place was teeming with life, people, and activity while the village in her time was desolate, dark, and near empty.
As Sakura gazed out at the prosperous city before her, the small flame of hope within her flared even larger.
Sakura and her group continued forward towards Sora-ku, following behind Izuna, before their leader came to a sudden stop. Pausing, they all watched as a shinobi emerged from the earth to stand before them as seamlessly as if he had been one with the craggy rock itself. The stranger was dressed in traditional, earthy colored clothes with layers of gilded armor strapped over top.
"Ah, Lord Izuna. It is good to see you again," the man greeted with a smile that showed off a missing canine, "I was wondering who was able to breech our genjutsu barrier so easily. It makes sense that it would be a sharingan weilder. You do know it's polite to knock first, yes?"
"Hello, Doi, it's good to see you are well," Izuna returned before grinning mischievously, "Well, perhaps missing more teeth than my last visit but still in good spirits at least."
Doi cackled loudly in response, surprising Sakura with his reaction to Izuna's barb, "As heartless as always, I see. I'll have you know I lost it in a bet."
"It's good to see that at least your humor is still intact," Izuna chuckled, "We're not here to chat though. We're here on business. Is the Queen Usugumo available tonight?"
"Hmm, perhaps," Doi replied, eyeing Sakura and the rest of her team, "I see you brought far less people with you this time. Do you have a smaller order to place? You know what less spending means."
"Absolutely not. What we lack in people we make up for in strength. I will be placing the same order as last year with a few additions."
"Ah, not a larger one? Are the Uchiha cribs not outnumbering the Uchiha coffins nowadays?" the man taunted, his grin sharpening, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised with the bloodbath at Biei. Good business for us though."
The smile remained on Izuna's face but it did not meet his eyes, the only thing settled there instead being a palpable bloodlust that heated the air around them, "I suggest you mind your manners, Doi. I'd hate for you to lose more than teeth."
Clucking his tongue once, Doi's smirk only widened, "Well, well, come right this way then."
Doi lead Sakura and the rest of her group into Sora-ku without hesitation, beelining straight for the center of his village. As they entered the outskirts and began their trek into the heart of the city, Sakura noticed a very clear class system quickly take shape.
The outer reaches of the village contained the working class, as if a buffer between the outside world and the inner core of the city. The further they entered, the wealthier the citizens and businesses appeared to get. Even the heights of the buildings increased as if a direct reflection of the affluence of their residents. At the center of the village, looming over all the other buildings in the city, Sakura spotted the tower she suspected they would be taken to to meet this merchant queen.
As they walked among the citizens of Sora-ku, children and adults alike looked to them with little more than a fleeting curiosity. There was no caution in their expressions, their brief interest reflecting little more than a readily passing fancy. It was this observation alongside the eerie sensation of numerous eyes upon her - a feeling that Sakura hadn't experienced since she first found herself in the jungles the cat summons called home - that informed Sakura that they were under hidden guard.
Sakura had no doubt that, if any of them made the wrong move, the hidden army watching from the towering buildings above them and flaking earth beneath them would attack without a moment's hesitation. The further they got into the city, the heavier the gazes upon her became.
Affirming Sakura's previous guess, Doi led them to the tallest building in the center of the city, the tower painted a bright shade of yellow and decorated in detailed portraits of supernatural creatures known for bringing wealth. Passing through the sliding doors and into a vast, grandly decorated hall, he guided them up a winding staircase to the highest floor of what Sakura was beginning to suspect was more of a castle than an office.
They traveled down a lengthy hallway decorated with plush carpet, lavish ornaments, and sprawling tapestries before Doi finally stopped before another set of sliding doors. The doors themselves were decorated in an intricate painting of a crane but, when Sakura took a closer look, she realized that the lines of the intricate bird were painted with gold.
Uncomfortable with the wasteful displays of wealth, Sakura found herself already cautious of the person they would be making bartering with that day. Even more so, she found a revulsion building within her when she compared the extravagant opulence of the merchant queen's castle to the modest homes of the citizens in the outskirts of the city.
With a flourish, Doi opened the doors to his ruler's chambers, revealing the extravagantly decorated room within.
The room itself was nearly bare of furniture, the walls of the open space instead decorated in intricate tapestries that hung from the ceiling and billowed out onto the floor. Numerous windows lined the back wall, bathing the warm colored room in the light of the setting sun.
At the center of the room sat a section of tatami flooring cut into the shape of a sunburst. Within the sunburst sat Queen Usugumo herself, perched upon a throne of pillows and blankets, bright shocks of colors and patterns surrounding her.
The middle aged woman was dressed in a fine kimono the color of honey, the numerous golden embellishments and lace in the cloth making her glitter in the sunlight filtering in from behind her. Her midnight hair was waxed into flawless rolls, not a single strand out of place in her intricate style. An ornate golden headdress was perched on her head, strings of shimmering gemstones trailing down from what very much appeared to be a crown.
She was offhandedly inspecting a finely cut ruby the size of her fist, as disinterested in the priceless stone as she was with the numerous gems that were littered around her throne of blankets.
"Queen Usugumo," Doi greeted dramatically as he bowed so deeply that Sakura wondered if he is teasing his monarch. She didn't receive her answer when Usugumo looked up, a gentle smile spread across her crimson painted lips.
"Izuna Uchiha," she purred in greeting as she tossed the ruby behind her, now uninterested in the priceless bouble which joined the rest in her cloth throne, "It has been some time, has it not?"
"It has been merely a year, Queen Usugumo," Izuna answered as Doi stepped back, stationing himself against the wall and watching silently.
"How many times must I tell you? Call me Usugumo," she scolded lightly, waving her hand - tipped with meticulously manicured nails - with a breathy laugh.
"You know how I am. Always with the formalities," he replied, Sakura easily sensing how uncomfortable he was with the flirtatious interaction.
"You never were much fun," Usugumo sighed before her gaze snapped to the others in the group, lingering on Sakura for a long moment, "I see you've brought a new friend… Although far less companions than your previous visit."
"I assume this won't be a problem for business."
"Only if you've brought the proper payment." Usugumo's gaze sharpened like a predator who had sighted their prey, the greed and lust in her eyes making Sakura's skin crawl.
Before Izuna could reply, a doorway which had been hidden among the tapestries hanging from the walls swung open, a young girl rushing out with a stuffed animal in tow. The ragged doll was so worn and dirty that Sakura couldn't even identify what it was supposed to be. The child held a smooth river rock in her hand like a trophy, holding it out in front of her as she sped up to Usugumo's throne.
"Mother, I found you a treasure! It was so pretty, sitting in the dry riverbed. I knew you would love it!" the young girl declared, presenting her mother with the stone with a bright smile. The elder woman grimaced at the gift as she held her hands up as if to ward off her own daughter.
"Maneki, I'm in the middle-" Usugumo began to scold before her eyes fell upon the simple orange yukata that her child wore, her expression twisting in revulsion, "What are you wearing?"
"I… It's just clothes. I think they're pretty. I like the color orange and I don't like the kimonos you give me. They're-" Maneki tried before her mother interrupted.
"I have told you time and time again, you must wear what I give you. You look like a commoner, strutting about in those rags, not the trophy you are. I will not have my precious daughter looking so dull," she reprimanded, speaking to her daughter as if she was little more than a prize to be shown off.
"But mother! I can't play with the other children in them! My friends always-"
"Your friends? You don't have any friends, my little jewel. You aren't like them. You are gold among lead. A diamond among charcoal. The brightest star among the darkness of the night sky! You are of the highest breeding, my ultimate treasure," she praised lavishly, brushing her hand against her child's cheek, before continuing in just as sweet a tone, "You are already worthless at every task I give you to prove your usefulness. The least you can do is look beautiful."
At her harsh words, hot rage flared within Sakura.
"B-but-" Maneki stuttered, her eyes beginning to water.
"But nothing. I will not have you playing with the common children and sullying yourself even further. I sacrificed my flawless body to create you, I will not have you a useless rock among my gems. Do you understand?"
"Mommy, I just-" she whimpered, a tear slipping down her cheeks as she clutched her ragged doll and the river rock she had found to her chest.
"And do not call me such a term. I am your mother or your queen and you will refer to me as such. Furthermore, how many times have I told you to discard that disgusting toy of yours?" Usugumo continued before gesturing to Doi, "Doi! Do your job and take that filthy garbage from her. Burn it if you must, just get it out of my sight."
"No! I don't want to give up Lady Kitty!" Maneki yelled, finally finding her voice, as Doi pushed off of the wall and walked over to her.
"I'm sorry, princess, but I gotta take it," Doi apologized, shrugging with a sympathetic wince as he approached, the girl backing up and looking up at him with watery eyes.
Unable to stand by silently anymore, Sakura finally stepped forward to intervene, the anger clawing at the insides of her chest making her blood burn. It was Izuna who reached out, roughly grabbing her by her upper arm to stop her. Sakura whipped around and her eyes met Izuna's sharingan-bright gaze, her lips pulled back over her teeth as she prepared to snarl something at her companion.
Before either of them could speak, an explosion in the distance stole the attention of everyone in the room.
Doi stopped in his advancing on Maneki as his gaze whipped to the windows overlooking the city, the young girl turning tail and fleeing through the hidden door she had come in from. He rapidly strode up to the wall of windows to observe the rising cloud of smoke in the distance, his eyes narrowing dangerously. He only turned away to glance to where Maneki had run off and to look to his queen.
When another explosion sounded in the distance, the cloud of black smoke that rose this time was closer that the first.
"Doi!" Usugumo yelled, a poorly concealed anxiety in her tone, "Handle this!"
"Yes, my queen," he replied quickly before disappearing into the floor without another word.
Izuna reached out and placed a much more gentle hand on Sakura's shoulder, breaking her concentration and drawing her gaze back to him and their squad.
"Let's go," he instructed, Sakura glancing over at the merchant queen one final time before looking back to him and nodding once.
In a flash of speed, Sakura, Izuna, and the rest of their strikeforce disappeared, abandoning Usugumo in her glittering throne room, alone.
A/N: Hemlock and White Snakeroot are two deadly plants that are both visually similar to the harmless Alyssum. Wolfsbane and the Bearded Iris are two plants with similar purple flowers with Wolfsbane being highly toxic. There are different kinds of Nightshade all over the world, some being astoundingly dangerous while others are edible if prepared correctly.
Saori means "the color of sand". I gave her this name because she specializes in earth jutsus. Doi means "mountain or earth" and he has this name because he also specializes in earth jutsu. He is one of the Merchant Queen's hired guard captains and a runaway from a clan that will eventually form Iwagakure. Doi says he lost his tooth in a bet as a joke but he actually lost it as punishment for allowing the princess to "mingle with the rabble". He's the closest thing that Maneki has to a parent with Usugumo treating her more as a treasure than her child. As such, he took the unreasonable punishment from the queen instead of being fired (under the pretense that he cared more about his high salary than being separated from the princess).
Maneki is named after the Maneki Neko (Beckoning Cat). They are considered to bring good fortune and are depicted by the statues that you can frequently find in shops. She was named such by her mother since she is her greatest treasure and a token of good fortune.
Usugumo means "light cloud" and this name is taken from one of many legends involving the Maneki Neko. In the story, Usugumo was a famous courtesan who she loved her tortoiseshell cat (sometimes named "Tama" for it's love of balls) so much that she carried them with her all the time. She loved the cat so much that people began to spread rumors that she was possessed by a cat. While there are many variations to the story, there comes a time where Tama tries to alert Usugumo to something and where Usugumo's master thinks that she is being attacked. Her master kills the cat but, as a final act of love, the cat's severed head kills a venomous snake lying in wait to protect Usugumo. Sometimes the story describes the master commissioning a woodcarver to make a lifelike imitation of Tama, something that resulted in a mass production and popularization of cat statues as bringers of good luck.
Also, interestingly enough, Tamaki (the name of the cat in the legend with "ki" added to the end) is the name of Nekobaa's granddaughter in canon.