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

[medicalpunch]

That isn't necessary. I... don't disbelieve you.

[It's an odd tone to strike. While she feels, internally, that she could not have been here before, she doesn't think Tenten's lying or mistaken. It's a strange place to find herself in; she can't make a judgment one way or another.]

[weaponry]

Well, that's good. The sooner you accept you're here, the sooner you can piece your life back together before you left. Well, that isn't that hard to do. Nothing ever significantly changes here, but a lot of people might remember you and hopefully look fondly upon you.

[ She's trying to ease Sakura into this process but it might come off as creepy instead. ]

[medicalpunch]

[Strangers remembering and looking fondly on her? That sounds... well, kind of strange, really. Sakura's not sure how she feels about the whole thing. But it's better than being remembered poorly, at least? She supposes.]

I'm sure I didn't get into anything... remarkable, before. [If she was still herself, anyway.]

[weaponry]

No, you didn't. But you did make a couple of friends! You were well liked, Sakura. [ At least it's better than being forgotten at all, right Sakura?! Glances at Tenten's screen time. ]

[medicalpunch]

[Though Sakura's not faring much better lately.]

Well, that's a good thing to hear, I guess.

[Still kind of uneasy, to have people who apparently know her when she doesn't know them.]

[weaponry]

Yeah. If you need to know anything about anyone, just give me a call on my journal, Sakura. You know how I am. [ Which is nosy. ]

[medicalpunch]

I'll keep that in mind. It's good to have familiar faces around...

[weaponry]

Indeed. It'll be like you never left! [ ....That's a little creepy from Tenten's end. ]

[medicalpunch]

[... More than a little creepy, really.]

I don't know if it'll be quite like that.

[weaponry]

Why not? I mean, you'd know them, they'd know you and stuff, right? Does it have to do with locations or something?

[medicalpunch]

... Something like that.

[Among other things, there's the prospect of speaking to someone she's seen die, as though nothing had happened. Or facing those she knows have lost near and dear, and they know nothing of it.]

[weaponry]

Well, either way, I'm going to go pick up some food for dinner. You're free to come join me around six if you like, so I can help you out with your day and things like that.

[medicalpunch]

[It's on the tip of her tongue to ask if Neji's going to be there -- because she's not sure she could eat dinner across the table from a dead man, from someone she just watched die and didn't even try to save -- but asking that forthrightly will only bring problems.]

That's a kind offer, thank you. Will... ah, will it be a group meal? Or just the two of us?

[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.... ]

[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.]

[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. ]

[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!

[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.

[weaponry]

Glad to hear it! Say, what's the last thing you remember anyways, Sakura? [ Yeah. She wants a progress report. So so very badly. ]

[medicalpunch]

[Damn it.]

[She really, really doesn't want to answer Tenten's question, but she has to say something.]

We're... fighting Madara - all of us. The entire army is supporting Naruto and Killerbee... they just couldn't stay away from things.

[weaponry]

I heard they were back on the warfront. [ She thinks. ]

I didn't know we all joined in the fight against Madara. How's that going!? Did I do anything really badass yet?! [ Besides not shed a single onscreen tear at Neji's death. ]

[medicalpunch]

[No no no she does not want to have this discussion oh no.]

There's... not a lot of individual things going on, if you understand. [Other than Neji dying but oh god she's not going there, especially not to Tenten.] They're too powerful. So everyone -- except Naruto, really, even Killerbee's fallen back -- is fighting together as a group.

[weaponry]

Hm, so you mean I haven't thrown a badass amount of kunais in a complete storm? [ ....This is upsetting. ] What are our group tactics, if I may ask? Do we all swarm in? Or are we given like, background support? Are Neji, Lee, Guy-sensei and I together again? Or am I still with Team Shikamaru? [ She's very very curious about everything!!! And her nosy nature will probe the hell out of Sakura. She's unaware on just how awkward this is to Sakura. ]

[medicalpunch]

[Too many questions, too many! Sakura shakes her head a little, giving Tenten a 'calm down' gesture, both hands palm-out.]

I don't know, Tenten. I've been too busy healing. I can't focus on anything but whoever's under my hands or whoever I have to get to next.

[And she hesitates, but hopefully this answer will be enough to satisfy.]

I can tell you that none of your teammates, or the rest of our group, have needed my attention.

[Only because she couldn't. Couldn't get there fast enough, couldn't have done enough if she had.]