Chapter 20 preview

As promised, preview of Chapter 20. Rest will go within next two weeks. So no super-long waits! Hope you enjoy!

Rubbing a fist at the corner of her eye, Sakura pressed her fingers to her lips and stifled a yawn for the third time.

But the collection of scruffy old farmers assembled at the water trough didn’t seem the least bit sympathetic.

Sakura hop-stepped back suddenly, giving the two boys wrestling in the road ample space for a face-plant without careening into her.

She looked wearily down the wide, empty road, deciding to wait just a little longer to see if anyone else showed up.

“Hey ninja lady,” one of the twins called up from his chokehold. “Aren’t you gonna teach us some stuff? When are we gonna start?”

Another tangle of knuckles, elbows and knees, and the brothers switched places.

“Yeah, nobody else is coming,” the victorious sibling shouted up at her before dodging a punch. Something caught his attention, and he swung his head back around. “Hey! Do we get to use your knife?”

“She’s got a knife?” a muffled voice gasped. Wide eyes popped over the crook of an elbow. The losing brother wriggled an arm free and swatted in Sakura’s direction. “I get it first!”

Sakura took another step back, gritting her teeth. She was a guest. A guest. A guest. She would not knock the local children into next week, no matter how much they deserved it.

“It’s a kunai,” she ground out. “And you two will not be doing anything unless you get off the ground.”

But they didn’t hear her. Or if they did, they ignored her. One brother was inching up the other’s pant leg, preparing to sink his teeth into the exposed calf. The other had his fist raised in the air, middle knuckle out, ready to deliver a punishing frog to his thigh.

Sakura imagined that somewhere in this town was a happy mother with a quiet house, because she’d sent her two troublemakers out to ‘go find the ninja lady.’

Howls of pain erupted at her feet, but Sakura was beyond caring. She was finished with them.

It was clear no one else was coming. She turned back to see what she was left with. Lazing against the low stone wall, the crusty old men were content to watch the two ruffians beat themselves to oblivion.

They didn’t bring gear or weaponry of any kind. Only buckets and farm tools were propped around. None of them were taking this seriously — except the two rolling around on the ground — and this was what she was paid to do here. If she couldn’t get a reasonable group of people together to protect their food stores, then she’d fail her mission.

Sakura’s frustration bubbled to the surface.

“So, this is all…” she snapped, but she stopped herself.

The scraggly bunch of farmers looked back at her, smacking lips and shifting feet, like they were waiting for any excuse to leave. And her yelling ‘This is all your village could come up with?! Old men and pain-in-the-ass kids?!’ would certainly set them on their way. Then she’d be left with no one to train.

Sakura sighed. Better make the best of it.

“Sooo,” she said with false brightness. “I guess this is everyone! We’d better get started.”

After setting the two boys to the task of “monitoring the perimeter” — which consisted of running the length of the town and generally staying out of her hair — she focused on the men.

They were farmers, through and through. And instead of teaching anything about defensive stances, how to protect yourself from a weapon attack or even how to identify an opponent, she settled for organizing them into shifts for watching the warehouse.

“Just sit there. Watch the building. If you see someone trying to break in, run and get the innkeeper…. And don’t fall asleep!” The one on the end snorted and woke up. “Dismissed,” she said resignedly.

Though she’d hardly done any physical activity at all, the few hours were exhausting. On her way back to the inn for lunch the boys raced by.

“What’s next?” they demanded.

“Can we fight? Do you have nunchucks in there?” one said, reaching for her hip pack. The other joined in, circling around behind her. “Yeah? Throwing stars? More knives?”

They only had eyes for the pack now, and they looked like they were ready to pounce.

Sakura put both hands up, keeping them out of her personal space.

“Stop!” she bellowed.

After a moment, the boys shifted their attention to her face, blinking as if they weren’t quite sure if the ninja lady said something or not.

“There’s nothing in there but medical supplies,” she lied. Then she hit on an idea.

“Listen,” she whispered conspiratorially. “You’re town always needs protection, whether I’m here to give you ‘orders’ or not.” The two looked giddy at the word. Sakura smiled. She had their full attention, now. “You’ve checked the town right?”

“Yes! Ma’am! Ninja-lady-sama!” and they saluted her for the full effect. Sakura’s eyebrows hitched at the barrage of honorifics.

“Good!” she declared. With a finger in the air, she began to pace, doing her best Tsunade impersonation. “But what about the crops, the western fields, the eastern road….” The boys’ excitement ratcheted up with each location. “The lower houses, the upper houses…. Anyone could be anywhere!”

They were nearly bouncing when she finally looked back at them, heads nodding up and down like dolls. One brother shook the other’s arm frantically.

“Yes! Yes! We’ll check them all!” they burst out in unison, then tore off without another look back.

“Make sure you check with your mother, first!” she shouted at the dust cloud in their wake. They probably didn’t hear her. And their mother probably was happy to have them occupied. But just the same, at least she’d told them to ask.

She returned to the inn for a quiet lunch, hoping to catch the innkeeper, but was informed politely that he was out. So, alone with her scattered thoughts, she picked through her meal. The events of the day before were so consuming she didn’t even hear the shoji door slide open.

“Sakura-san,” the innkeeper said, startling her. But he continued with nervous graciousness “How is your dish?”

“Excellent,” she smiled back at him.

“And I hope you have had a productive morning?” he continued with more uncertainty.

Her smile faltered.

“Was that what you wanted to see me about?” Disappointment colored his voice.

“No,” Sakura said slowly. “But there is something else I’d like to speak to you about.”

“Certainly,” he said. He slid the door closed behind him and took the seat opposite her. “How can I be of assistance?”

Pushing her plate forward, she gave him a serious look.

“The farmers you sent me today were fine, but they were…not what I expected.” She raised an eyebrow, hoping he’d gather her meaning.

He looked at the table for a moment, then sighed.

“There are others in our town. Younger, more capable men,” he said. “But they do not think….” His voice thinned.

“Our village is not a shinobi village like yours,” he began again, smiling weakly. “So we are very different….”

Raising a hand, she decided to spare him — and her— any more discomfort.

“I understand.”

And she did, better than he knew. These were men with families, businesses, futures. Lives that shouldn’t be thrown away in anonymous service for a backwater town.

Even though Konoha was days away, she could still hear her parents’ voices ringing in her ears, as if they were right beside her.

“Why would you want to get involved? Their troubles have nothing to do with you. You could get hurt…or worse. Just stay out of it. It will all work itself out, you’ll see.”

But she’d never been able to “stay out of it.” If she could help, then that was where she wanted to be. It was an overwhelming drive that she had come to believe was a fundamental difference between a civilian and a shinobi.

“Our townspeople mean well,” he said, sounding more serious than she’d heard him yet, “but they have their hands full. Most are merchants and don’t see the benefit in helping others when it doesn’t directly benefit them.” His voice dropped another notch and he shrugged half-heartedly. “The farmers have a better sense of helping others but even that comes after their own needs are met.”

His eyes went suddenly wide. Perhaps he felt he was being a little too blunt.

“I mean…that is to say…. They are all lovely people and our town, though small, is very close, and….”

“You don’t have to explain. I understand perfectly,” Sakura said, her respect for him rising at his honest assessment. “In every town there are those that help and those that don’t. Konoha is no different. We just are fortunate to have the shinobi and their strong shinobi code to offset human nature.

Your town is lucky to have you to fill in their gaps.”

This seemed to assuage his guilt.

“Thank you, Sakura-san. But we are the fortunate ones for having you to help us,” he said graciously. She smiled at his kind words.

“There is something else….” but she let the thought hang. She had planned to tell him about finding the stolen food with the children, then let him decide how to deal with them.

But she changed her mind. He seemed decent enough. Maybe if she could prove that they were starving then he would be lenient on them. She’d have to find out more first, though.

Tapping a finger at her chin, Sakura came up with a new plan.

“Could I have access to some extra supplies if I needed any? Maybe some—”

“Of course!” he interjected. “We have an excellent metal shop, and any weaponry you might need would be readily—”

“No, no,” Sakura said with a small smile. “I meant food, actually.”

The innkeeper frowned, confused. And a little disappointed.

“I have some theories I’d like to test out,” she offered.

“Ah!” he brightened instantly. And with a sweep of long silk sleeves, he was leading the way to the inn’s larder and offering her whatever she might need.

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