1st Punch

[medicalpunch]

[Action: Where the rivers meet in the village]

[Sakura's arrival in Luceti comes with a short, bitten-off yell of surprise and a splash as she drops into the icy water. The white-clad figure vanishes underwater, then reappears, struggling, fighting to surface long enough to catch her breath. It's shockingly cold, iced over in places -- although thankfully not where she fell -- and even if she knows nothing else yet, she knows she must get out of the water.]

[Flailing, gasping, reeling in shock from the sudden cold, it's extremely difficult for her to get atop the water as a ninja would normally go -- but she's too cold to swim properly, she knows that all too well, and with the ice besides, she has no other choice.]

[She's proud of her own strength and control, and she makes herself display it now, pushing up out of the water and working her way until she is balanced by chakra on the surface.]

[Now, though, she's exposed to the bitter air, soaking wet, with nothing but a thin, backless white dress to cover her. And she's freezing.]

[She makes her way toward the shore, where there's a journal waiting for her. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a warm blanket or anything like one. Just the journal, with her name on it, and a biting chill to the air.]

[Video]

[Sakura's hair is is still damp when her face appears on the journals. She's managed to get dry and warmed up -- and much more warmly dressed than when she arrived -- but she looks disoriented, worried, and worn.]

I don't know what this place is, where it is, why it is. I'm not sure I even want to speculate. But if there's anyone... familiar out there, anyone who knows me -- I'm here.

Comments

[Voice]

[generalflirt]

Sa...kura-chan, wasn't it?

[Voice]

[medicalpunch]

[And that's not a familiar voice - then again, she's met so many new people with the joint army, she can't rely on that anymore.]

I'm sorry, do I know you?

[Voice]

[generalflirt]

If you don't know, then you don't know, but I know. Intimately.

action

[stilldontgotit]

[Might not be a warm blanket, but there's this dude clad in a black coat. One that looks rather cozy, really. And once Sakura makes it back to dry land, he raises an eyebrow and inches closer.]

Looks like you could use a hand.

action

[medicalpunch]

[Stranger, but one who seems at least vaguely friendly. Sakura's going to take what she can get here.]

I could, yes. What.... where am I?

[As she makes it to shore, she forms a couple handseals and presses a suddenly-glowing hand to her own chest - a quick medical technique to try and stave off hypothermia. It won't hold her for long, but it's something.]

action

[stilldontgotit]

Place is called Luceti.

[A beat, and he crosses his arms.]

And just to clear things up straight away, you're in a completely different world now.

[Action]

[niceguypose]

[Rock Lee is at the side of the river, clad in only a pair of plain shorts. While he... is washing his tights in the freezing cold river. Because of course he had to do laundry in challenge mode as well.

And then his brain promptly freezes when Sakura rises from the water in a dress. His brain needs to process this, before words can be a thing.]

[Action]

[medicalpunch]

[She sure is rising from the water in a backless, soaking wet white dress. Yup.]

Wh- Lee, what are you doing?

[Because the first thing she notices is how he's hanging out in his shorts in the freezing air.

And staring at her. Shriek.]

LEE!

[Crossing her arms over that very clingy white top, even the teeth-chattering cold not enough of a distraction. Being angry totally warms you up!]

[Action] 1/?

[niceguypose]

[His eyes only briefly drift downwards, but really he's just overwhelmed with surprise. All this time has passed, and suddenly, Sakura is here. Right in front of him.]

Sah- Sah- Ssss....

[Action]

[niceguypose]

Sssaaaaahhh...

[Action] okay done

[niceguypose]

SAKURA-SAN!

[And as if on instinct... he tries to leap into a hug.]

[written]

[dangerouswind]

[Normally, Temari tends to avoid journal posts such as this, simply because answering them is just - to borrow a word - troublesome. But seeing as how the Konoha invasion has begun... (Again.)]

Sakura?

[written]

[medicalpunch]

[So far, she's just following the lead of whoever responds to her -- it seems the simplest solution.]

Temari?

What is this place?

[It's very, very good to see another familiar face.]

[written]

[dangerouswind]

It's called Luceti. How long have you actually been here? [If she's anything like some people who show up here, there's a little bit of recon done first, before reaching out to the journals.]

[video]

[floralogy]

[Ino's currently busy flipping through the journals when this one pops in. Her previous calm expression suddenly grew surprised. For this place to drag her back in...

No need for those thoughts right now because holy shit, it's freezing out there and she's soaking wet.]

Sakura? [Brb already grabbing her purple coat and some warm blankets.] Hey, has someone gotten you already? Stay put. I'm on my way.

[video]

[medicalpunch]

No, no one yet. I'm indoors at least...

[Indoors and at the clothing shop, from what can be seen behind her. But wet.]

[There are a lot of questions she wants to ask, but they can wait for Ino to find her in person.]

I'm not sure where I am in relation to... anything. Will you be able to find me?

[video]

[floralogy]

[She snorts at her question as she makes her way out of their apartment and outside CH1.]

It's a clothing shop, Forehead. Of course, I'll be able to find you.

[Voice]

[endgames]

--oi. That you, Sakura?

[Voice]

[medicalpunch]

Shikamaru?

[Is everyone she knows somehow in this crazy place already?]

What are we all doing here?

[Voice]

[endgames]

Ha. Isn't that the question... [That part is muttered. He speaks up again.] It's a long story. I take it you don't remember?

[weaponry]

Hmph. So you're back, Sakura. [ The last time she saw her was almost a year ago... Huh. ] Welcome.

[medicalpunch]

Back? But I've never been here before...

[And now she's really getting convinced that everyone she knows is here.]

Tenten? If we're all here, who's fighting the war?

[weaponry]

You have! You just don't remember it, that kinda happens sometimes.

[ ....Yeah. Everyone. Even this girl who never got screen time ): ]

Well, that's the thing. When we go home, we return from the moment we're plucked and we seem to not recall Luceti, or, at least, I think the latter part is true, or else you'd think you'd hear about this place, you know?

Action; COMBO BREAKER /shot

[hero_of_smiles]

[Cross is walking by the river, he usually does this when he's got nothing to do and considering Luceti? He's really bored most of the time. Crime doesn't happen here so he can't really do that kind of stuff.

In any case, this isn't about him. This is about him noticing a person splashing around looking like a fish in the water. Wait, there's a person in there?

It takes him a second to catch it but it looks like someone's floundering around. Did they really think winter was a good time to swim?

In any case he's already turning the cuff on his right arm to extend out the grappling hook. Firing it into the water close to the person he calls out.]

Grab hold! I'll help you get out!

Action

[medicalpunch]

[The cold water is threatening to paralyze her, making it hard and painful to move, hard to think -- she knows the dangers, and she struggles against the deadening effect of the water. The call out barely penetrates her mind, but she sees the grappling hook and line fire into the water, and that catches her attention. She struggles toward it, normally a strong swimmer, but currently so heavy, so stiff -- her head aches from the cold, a fierce crumpling pressure behind her eyes, and she latches onto the rope with desperate strength.]

[Nor is she the type to passively wait to be pulled ashore; she begins to pull herself hand over hand along the rope, gritting her teeth, marshaling her chakra to restore the power the cold is robbing from her muscles.]