Good day/night my poppets
This month has been real busy, of course I'm prepping for the new year to come, and I can't wait to share it. Those updates will be shared on my Tumble Page.
I have more projects coming in as well. But for now just kick back, and enjoy the chapters.
CHAPTER 39
It was hard to move through any terrain at night, when your eyesight was dulled in the darkness and your ears would spike with alertness that played tricks on your mind. This was more so being in a jungle, where everything was quiet and loud at the same time. Sakura had many experiences in this kind of environment and even the nature of their task right now was familiar to her. One of the main missions for genin, which had seemed mundane at the time, involved finding and retrieving lost pets or handling runaway animals.
While this was typical dirty work for ninja in training, it did give them some hard lessons on tracking, trapping and capturing.
Kakashi used to tell them that this was a useful way to train themselves to strengthen their own skills till they were able to compete with the natural instincts of animals, but Sakura was convinced now that he probably just wanted Naruto to stop complaining about the low rank missions for what would've been the umpteenth time.
For something like this, stealth would've been their greatest asset, but next to Luffy and Chopper, Sakura realized you could be invisible and still get the attention of every living creature in this jungle.
"WOOOAH! Look at this beetle!" Luffy bellowed, shoving an iridescent Atlas beetle directly into Sakura's face, his grin stretching ear to ear while she attempted to push him away. Taken aback by his boyish eagerness to look at bugs."It's HUGE! Right?"
"Yes, now please get that out of my face!" She shoved the insect away after the legs nearly crawled over her cheeks.
Chopper was just an enamored, with the bugs and running a muck with Luffy. They reminded Sakura of the village children in summer who would go hunting for bugs in the forest instead of pirates who were on a deadline to find what would essentially be their living compass to the sky island. The South Bird.
Sakura had scolded them twice already, but Luffy with his goldfish attention span, didn't let her words hold much weight and continued with his shenanigans.
'And this is our mighty leader.' Sakura couldn't help blow out some air. Then an idea came to mind. Something she had picked up from working with fussy, sick children at the hospital.
With an exaggerated pout, Sakura let out a loud heave, "Well, I guess we can just forget about our adventure to Sky Island huh?"
That stopped the two dead in their tracks, and Sakura could feel the sense of dread overtaking them. They look at her with eyes hollow in disbelief, mouths agape like she had done something inconceivable.
"Huh? Waddya mean?!" Luffy whipped around fully, his sandals kicking up damp leaves. "Why would you say that we're not going!?"
"We're not going!?" Chopper's hooves hit his face.
"I mean," Sakura said, feigning indifference, picking at her nails. "if we don't find this bird before sunrise, the log pose will reset and we'll have no choice but to sail to the next boring island instead. Oh well. You're the captain, so it's your choice. Let's go catch some beetles instead,"
Luffy's face contorted in horror, throwing his rubber arms around. "NO NO NO! I WANNA GO TO THE SKY!"
"ME TOO, THE SKY!" Chopper cried out.
Sakura smirked. "Alright then, Captain. Let's go."
Everything had appeared to be back on track for about five seconds before Luffy found a way to derail things in his direction of preference. All Sakura could do was watch as her captain went barreling through the underbrush like a loose cannonball, clearing everything in its path. While Sakura and Chopper were left to scramble along the path of the wreckage.
"Luffy, WAIT! You don't even know where you're going!"
"BE QUIET OR YOU'LL SCARE IT OFF!" He shouted so loud that it hit Sakura's nerves and she dashed pass Chopper's pace to hit her captain over the head as they have done so many times. She watched him bounce into the dirt.
"Ow, Sakura what you do that for?" He whined wiping his face. She just huffed crossing her arms, losing the energy to fight.
"At this rate, we're never gonna find that-
JOH.
Everything fell silent between the three, bodies stiffened as the sound crept into their ears. Slowly, they began to scout. Their chins turning up towards the skies in search of their target.
"Where is it?" Chopper asked, hushed, turning his head.
"I don't see it,"
Sakura frowned as she caught movement in one of the trees, she pointed in the direction. "Over there!"
Above them, perched on a gnarled branch, they found it. It had a round body, with bright feathers that made it stand out against the dark background, and an oddly shaped beak, features matching the gold statue Cricket had shown them. Without a doubt this was the South Bird.
"That's it!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Come here bird!"
Without wasting time, Luffy and Chopper gave chase, kicking up a path of dirt as they ran towards the tree where it rested. It had spotted them and took off, landing on another branch. It might have seemed random, until it started pecking at something at the base of the branch. They heard the noise before they realized the danger they were in. The South Bird had found a beehive and was working to knock it to the ground.
When it landed, its inhabitants were less than pleased and left their destroyed home to retaliate brutally. Unfortunately for Sakura, Luffy and Chopper, those bees were not looking at the South Bird as its target and began to buzz towards them in a swarm of anger and stringers.
"Oh no," Sakura whispered as the air erupted in furious buzzing. "RUN!"
They bolted, arms flailing, as an angry black cloud of bees descended upon them.
They heard a "Joh, joh, joh, joh," that sounded in a familiar sequence of laughter.
"Is that thing laughing at us!?" Sakura cried in disbelief.
"Yes," Chopper admitted being able to understand the fellow animal. "He says whoever invades this jungle will die!"
Sakura huffed, glaring back at that bird, "Of course, we have to get a vindictive bird!"
With a few simple bird calls, the jungle had taken the pirates and turned their leisurely hunt into a living nightmare. An insect uprising, was the best way to explain what happened next. Orchestrated by the smug, feathered ball perched high in the jungle canopy, cackling its "JOH! JOH!" like a tiny, winged drill sergeant commanding an army of insects, animals and horrors.
First came the giant praying mantises, their scythe-like forearms slicing through tree bark as if it were paper. Sakura dodged one that whizzed past her ear, leaving a clean cut in a thick branch that toppled behind her with a heavy thud. Then the hornets arrived, basically bigger, meaner cousins of the bees they'd already survived, the sound of their wings were furious screams vibrating ins their skulss.
But the cockroaches?
That was the last straw for Sakura's patience which had snapped like a frayed rope.
"I'VE HAD IT! I'M GONNA PLUCK YOU, YOU DAMN BIRD!"
She didn't wait for Luffy or Chopper to react and they were just as surprised as the bird by what followed. With a burst of chakra-enhanced speed, she launched herself into the trees, leaping from branch to branch like a pink-haired shadow. The South Bird, sensing her approach, let out another mocking "JOH!"
A shower of ladybugs rained down, harmless at first glance until Sakura realized they were the size of cannon balls. One smacked into her mid-air and poof!
A cloud of smoke erupted where she'd been. The South Bird froze, its beady eyes widening in genuine surprise. Even Luffy and Chopper, who had taken refuge in a neighboring tree to avoid the stampede of wild boars below, blinked in confusion.
"Where'd Sakura go?" Luffy whispered.
A hand clamped around the South Bird's neck from behind.
"Got you," Sakura growled with a victorious and rather terrifying grin.
The bird squawked, flapping wildly, but her grip was iron.
"J-JOH?!" it stammered, more shocked than offended.
"Yeah. JOH to you too."
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"I hear screaminng," Robin noted, glancing over her shoulder. If this jungle was really uninhabited by other people then it could only be one of their groups. Though she didn't show any particular signs of concern, more like just offering an observation. And even her companion had an equally indifferent response.
Zoro trudged beside her, carrying the net and a large scowl as they made their way through the insect infested jungle. They had come across a few enormous inhabitants, with antenna, six legs and bad attitudes.
He grunted, "Should've taken a bottle of sake with me,"
A rustling from above made them both pause. Slowly, Zoro tilted his head back, his gaze locking onto the massive silhouette of something coiling around a low hanging branch, and was slowly reaching towards them. They caught sight of several small tendrils moving in the shadows and beady eyes glinting in a way that seemed predatory. But they weren't ones to cower like prey.
Zoro drew one sword, clean and in a single slash. The centipede's body fell mid-air before crashing to the ground, its twitching limbs curling inward as foam bubbled from its maw. He nudged the carcass with his boot, his expression unimpressed despite the creature's monstrous size. But he picked it up to observe closer. "This bug is huge."
Robin arched a brow. "You don't have to kill them. Poor things."
"Don't lecture me, I still don't trust you." Zoro shot back, sheathing his sword. "Besides, it's their own fault for challenging me."
This wasn't the first time that these oversized insects had attempted to take a bite out of them while they were wandering. While most of these bugs were above average size, Zoro had no problem reminding them they were still bugs. He crushed all of them underfoot and had no remorse for returning the challenge. He was already in a foul mood being dragged around by Robin of all people.
He had been called back by her more times than he could count on both hands, and she kept that calm, clipped voice while doing it, which was unsettling to him.
Robin also noticed Zoro's attitude towards her, and wasn't afraid to voice her observations, as cold, honest and unapologetic as she desired.
He turned to continue forward, but Robin's voice stopped him. "That's the path we just came from."
Zoro stiffened, his jaw tightening. Without a word, he pivoted on his heel and fell into step behind her.
"This way. Watch out, it's slippery." Even though she warned him, he still slipped on a patch of particularly loose earth, nearly falling into the mud.
"Hey, wait up-"
Then she glanced back at him, her lips curving into that infuriatingly knowing smile.
"What now?" he snapped, feeling an overwhelming sense of discomfort.
"I was just thinking about what you said to me earlier," Robin mused, her tone light. "How you don't trust me."
"Yeah, so?"
In truth, Zoro didn't have a solid reason to distrust Robin anymore. She'd left Baroque Works behind, she had betrayed Crocodile, who was currently incarcerated, which had blocked any chance of her returning to that side, and if she stepped out of line, he was confident he could handle her. But trust wasn't something he handed out freely. That was Luffy's liberty, and Zoro's was to make sure that it didn't endanger their crew.
Robin's smile deepened. "Then do you not trust Sakura either?"
Zoro nearly tripped over a tree root, and suddenly that sickening discomfort from Robin was justifiable.
"She said the same thing you did to me earlier today," Robin continued, her voice carrying that teasing lilt that made Zoro's eye twitch. "It seems you don't trust easily. Did it take you a while to trust the rest of your crew as well?"
Zoro clenched his jaw so tight it turned to stone. He didn't want to answer that.
He had been quick to put his trust in Luffy but the circumstances had aligned well enough for him to get a full and proper first impression of his now captain. Luffy was sincere and truthful. Even if he wanted to be deceptive, he didn't have the talent or the practice. Initially he had issues with Nami, until he learned her truth, and her past which had trapped her for a decade. Then there was Usopp, who never really came off as untrustworthy despite his obvious talent for tall tales and need to exaggerate and stretch the truth. He didn't even want to think about Sanji. While he was nothing more than a stupid cook to Zoro, he didn't register as untrustworthy. After all, Zoro ate the food Sanji cooked, which was trust enough. Chopper wasn't even on his radar. He was originally an animal, and they live with obvious patterns and behaviors and instincts.
But for whatever reason, Sakura stood out from the bunch. He could understand his skepticism for Robin, but Sakura hadn't done much of anything to catch Zoro's attention and perhaps that's what drew him.
Something about her stood out to him.
Everyone had their roles, Sanji was a cook, Luffy was the captain, Nami was the navigator, Usopp was the sniper and they all had a degree of fighting capabilities, but when Zoro stood next to Sakura the first time around, he never suspected that she had any combat capabilities. But his instincts still hummed.
And then she revealed her strength back at Little Garden.
Zoro had worked the line of a bounty hunter, he was vigilant and seasoned enough to be able to look at a person and at least determine if they had some combat experience. And he wasn't able to see through Sakura's demeanour. As if the way she carried herself was her identity. To be warrior that hid in the shadows.
The problem?
The only type of people who had a talent like that were assassins. But all of this had become moot, because he knew that she was a friend to them. A loyal member of their crew. He no longer felt the need to keep one hand on his sword whenever she passed by. And yet now, he was going out of his way to catch a sight of her.
"It's different," That was the only way he could think to answer right now.
"So you don't agree with what I said before? About Sakura?" Robin's voice always seemed to have a hint of mischief in it, like that was her flavor of tone. She carried her words as if she wanted you inject a sense of weariness in you. To say that she knew more than you wanted, and she wasn't afraid to taunt you with it.
"Cut the crap," Zoro gritted, "You're making this up in your head just to mess with mine,"
"I noticed you two had a bit of a spat,"
"And who's fault is that? You're the one who wouldn't stop rambling on about—" He cut himself off, his lips pressing into a thin line as if the words themselves were poison in his mouth.
Robin's smile turned downright devilish at that moment. "That you like Sakura."
His glare hardened, "Shut up."
She chuckled, the sound like wind through leaves. "You're pretty defensive."
"Because you keep talking like you know anything!" Zoro shot back. He didn't feel that way about Sakura, because he didn't feel that way about anyone. He wasn't like that lousy cook. And he certainly wasn't going to give Robin the satisfaction of debating this anymore.
"I'm gonna say this one more time so you'll drop it once and for all," Zoro snarled, his lip curled to show off his canines. "I don't like Sakura. At all."
"What do ya mean you don't like Sakura?"
"Zoro that's so mean!"
He felt like his veins turned to ice. There, standing just a few feet away with Luffy and Chopper, was Sakura, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. If he could've sunk into the earth at that moment and never return, he would take it.
In Luffy's hands was the South Bird, its wings bound with rope, its beady eyes blinking in confusion. Robin fluidly moved the topic to it. "Oh, you found the bird."
While this happened, Sakura tuned on her heel and walked away. While Zoro stood frozen, his mind racing and his pride warring with something he refused to name.
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There was nothing to follow that night, no more chaos of insects falling from the sky or a rampage of wild pigs. Just a few rustling leaves, distant screeches, and the occasional JOH! from the disgruntled South Bird tucked under Sakura's arm. Which she took away from Luffy when he started agitating it too much.
She marched forward, her shoes kicking up damp earth as she huffed through the dense foliage. Behind her, Luffy, Robin, Zoro and Chopper followed along, trying to keep up with her rather brisk pace. They were more cautious now, after following her straight through a path of quick sand, which she had somehow managed to breeze through without explanation while they had to watch every step.
Then, through a break in the trees, Sakura spotted them, Sanji, Usopp, and Nami, looking like they'd just survived a war. Nami's usually pristine orange hair was tangled with leaves, her face smudged with dirt as she swatted at an unseen threat in the air. Sanji appeared just as disheveled, no cigarette between his lips. Usopp on the other hand appeared perfectly in tact, including his sanity.
"Sakura!" Usopp waved.
"What happened to you guys?"
Nami's eye twitched. "I hate this island. I hate this jungle. I hate BUGS!"
"Well then we should get out of here," Sakura held up the South Bird on display.
Usopp's jaw dropped. "YOU CAUGHT IT?!"
Nami's expression shifted to relief. "Oh, thank you! Let's go."
"Sakura-chan…You're a vision of salvation in this wretched, bug-infested—"
"Yeah, yeah," Sakura cut him off, tossing the bird at Luffy when he came through into the clearing, followed by Chopper, Robin and Zoro. "Let's get out of here."
Nami didn't need to be told twice. She was already marching ahead, muttering about "never setting foot in a jungle again" and "burning this place to the ground if one more thing with more than two legs touches her."
Luffy, meanwhile, was already swinging the South Bird by its tied-up feet like a makeshift pendulum, laughing as it squawked in protest. "HEY, BIRD! WHICH WAY'S SOUTH?"
"JOH! (Let me go, you menace!) JOH! (I hope you step on a centipede!)"
Chopper whimpered. "I think it's cursing at us…"
Sakura sighed. "Just keep moving."
THAT'S ALL MY LOVELIES! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and remember to stay strong and keep reading!
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-Kunoichi amongst Heroes chapter (91, 92, 93, 94)
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