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

[Action]

[medicalpunch]

[That mission, yes. She nods grimly, studying him as he steps in after her.]

It's difficult. [Unspoken, that she understands what he's saying.]

I'll do what I can, though.

[action]

[dangerouswind]

[Hey. The desert is awesome.]

Of all the times?

[medicalpunch]

[She's surrounded by so many guys who go all-out -- it's funny, but at the same time, it's also heartwarming.]

One of everything... oh my. I'll have a whole new wardrobe if even some of it fits!

[action]

[medicalpunch]

[And uncomfortable.]

... How much do you know about... about what's going on back home?

[She doesn't want to get into the details of the war willy-nilly.]

[action]

[dangerouswind]

[Also awesome.]

I know enough. [She knows about the war, at least, but she's also very aware that Sakura might be from further in the future -- or in the past. It's hard to tell.]

[hero_of_smiles]

[She has one less guy to worry about though chasing after her. He's pretty dumb like that.]

Really? Huh. I didn't think of it like that.

[weaponry]

It's usually not a group meal. People that want to eat show up every now and again. Sometimes, usually twice a month, we get together for a big ninja eatery but that's not often. With that said, I don't think anyone will come today.

[ She starts thinking off into the vague future on why people wouldn't be able to make it. Ino will be with her boyfriend, Shikamaru will be recovering and trying to get back in the swing of things, Kiba and Akamaru will probably have ransacked the meat earlier.... ]

[action]

[medicalpunch]

[It's ambiguous, but Sakura lets out a slow breath. At least Temari won't be asking about the people she knows to be dead. Gaara's still in good shape, and so far as she knows, the ambush squad is still in one piece.]

The war. Being a medic and getting pulled away from that...

[She shakes her head.] I know, I know, I won't actually miss any time. But not being there is hard. I can't help the feeling. [Because medics and their crazy sense of duty. It's what happens when you're the difference between life and death for a lot of people.]

[medicalpunch]

[It's pretty clear he's a gentleman; she's not going to have to worry about what's coming from him.]

It's a good thing! A girl gets tired of wearing the same outfit all the time.

[Which... she usually does. Hush. Because in the hospital it matters less.]

[action]

[dangerouswind]

[Temari nods, crosses her arms, and leans against the counter. For a moment, she looks away, then turns back to Sakura and shrugs.]

It's something that you get used to. Unfortunately.

[action]

[medicalpunch]

Unfortunately.

[She grimaces, then shakes her head.]

Whatever it is, this or anything else, I'll deal with it. End of story.

[medicalpunch]

I see. [She nods agreeably.]

Well, either way, I appreciate it, and I accept. Thank you.

[She really doesn't want Tenten to think she's avoiding any of the others. And most of them, she doesn't want to avoid. Just...]

[This is all awkward and awful.]

[action]

[dangerouswind]

[Of that, Temari has no doubt. She's the same way.]

You'll need a place to stay.

[action]

[medicalpunch]

The housing... is free, is that right?

[She's been told that, but it seems a little unbelievable. To have everything simply provided for them, from housing to food to clothing...]

[action]

[dangerouswind]

Yes. Like I said, most of your comrades are in this building.

[hero_of_smiles]

[And dumb.]

I never really got that. Clothes are clothes, but I guess it would be bad if you wore the same thing all the time. It'd start to smell.

[weaponry]

No problem. Any type of food that you like in particular? I was thinking tonight might be sesame chicken but I'm not sure if that's your style, you know? [ She wants to make sure Sakura will like the dinner she's going to eat. ]

[action]

[medicalpunch]

Then I'll look for somewhere here, too. At least for the time being.

[In a strange place, in a strange world, she'll feel better to have her friends nearby.]

[medicalpunch]

That sounds fine to me, I've been on field rations for the past while. Anything that's actual cooking is going to be a treat!

[medicalpunch]

Well, most people try and do laundry on a regular basis! But sometimes just having variety is nice, rather than having a lot of outfits that look alike.

[weaponry]

Hehe, you're right. You know, it's been so long since I've been on the battlefront, I almost forgot about the war. [ which is sad. ]

[medicalpunch]

[So add Tenten to the "knows about the war" list that Sakura's keeping. And time to hope she just doesn't ask about updates.]

So don't worry! Believe me, I'll appreciate anything.

[Action]

[endgames]

That'll be more than enough.

[Sakura's long since grown beyond that girl he and the others left at the gate, when they went after Sasuke. She can accomplish that and then some.]

So where are you staying? We can talk there.

[He's really eager to go to his own apartment - he misses his cat of all things - but he's not sure if Masaomi's there or not, so it's probably best to go with her place.]

[action]

[dangerouswind]

I know where most of the empty ones are.

[action]

[medicalpunch]

If you could point me to one, then... [She smiles, then shakes her head with a sigh.] Then I'll settle in.

[As much as she doesn't want to. There's not a lot of point in being uncomfortable -- or homeless, for that matter -- if it won't get her home faster.]