Bab 2: Awakening at Sea
Her eyes were heavy, and it felt like a weight was sitting on her chest, when the fog of sleep lifted pain entered her body, muscles taut and aching.
The area was dim from a candle, and her vision was taking longer to adjust than usual. Sakura tried to get her mental barrings as her physical were currently lax. She had slept but did not feel rested. Merely unconscious. It was like waking up from a drug-induced sleep.
She remembered how her patients would always talk about those.
"What happened?" Sakura sucked in a breath as she recalled the war and her fight with the god-like creature Kaguya and Sasuke and Naruto and Kakashi. Where were they?
Touching her lips, she recalled the bitter taste of that odd fruit she had eaten, somehow it still lingered in her thoughts if not on her tongue. Other than that, nothing else could be recalled.
"Where am I?"
The room was small and made of wood but it was furnished well, not exactly a place to receive medical treatment, but not her home either, but certainly a space fit for lodging. Just none that she could recognize. She had been trapped in another dimension with her teammates and they were still doing battle so had she come here now?
She felt her body swaying, but it wasn't just because she was disoriented, the whole room was moving in a rocking motion.
There was a desk tucked closely to a staircase, leading into the unknown but Sakura saw that she wasn't alone. There was a girl, with short orange hair neatly tucked behind her ears, features showing she was at least in her late teens, casually dressed, and not anyone she knew or could recall.
But if there was someone else here, then she must be back in her home dimension. That was at least good news, but her teammate's whereabouts were still a mystery she needed to solve.
'Doesn't look like she's armed,' Sakura chose not to wake her up just yet, and to take this chance to find answers for herself.
Dizzy but still cautious, Sakura went up the stairs without causing so much as a creak on the wood until the smell of salt was strong and the air became cool, the wind touching her skin like a phantom wrapping around her. In her sight, nothing but gentle waves and a sky of stars, now she knew why she felt like she had been swaying.
This sight would've taken her breath away if the circumstances didn't hold it hostage in her throat.
The ship was a caravel with a figurehead of what looked like a sheep, then there was the painting on the main sail. A cross-skull with a straw hat, Sakura could barely make it out from under the moonlight.
She moved to the stairs leading to a higher deck passing a few tangerine trees. With her empty stomach, Sakura plucked three with little regard. Surely no one would notice. It was an odd place to keep them though.
'I didn't even think you could maintain vegetation on ships,'
Peeling the tangerines while she continued to explore slowly and quietly. She didn't want to wake anyone, at least until she had a better idea of her situation and how to react to it. No land in sight, and no way to pinpoint from here.
And what of Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi? Were they able to leave that dimension with her? If so then where were they?
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Sakura sneaked down into the rooms, there were hatches to access certain parts of the ship. Sakura found a small bathroom, she had been to the storage room that was above the room she had woken up in. There were barrels and supplies here. There was a cannon room, but it was mostly empty and then Sakura came to another room where she finally found other signs of life.
When she came down the mast, Sakura found herself in a larger room, another furnished cabin with couches, rugs, and hammocks that were currently occupied by three individuals. It was harder to see with the lights off, but Sakura looked over each of the sleeping figures, hoping that she might find signs of her teammates. There were none.
There was a man with blonde hair, who had a much glossier tone and style than Naruto's signature spikes. The man also had oddly spiraled eyebrows, and though handsome he was smiling in his sleep and muttering as if he was flirting with a woman in his dreams.
"Why yes, my lady…."
In one of the hammocks was a man in overalls, with thick curly dark hair and the longest nose Sakura had ever seen. His lips pursed as he snored.
"Captain Usopp to the….."
And finally, a boy with dark hair and a round face, snoring in a child-like and exaggerated manner with his mouth opening wide and Sakura swore she heard him mutter 'meat' as he drooled.
'They don't seem like threats,' Sakura couldn't help letting the exterior dictate her judgment despite her training that warned her against it.
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Back on deck, Sakura started to consider if she should wake up the strangers or just raise anchor and try to navigate the waters without any idea of where she was or how to properly sail and hope to find land before she sunk the ship or woke the crew. Maybe even find a dock closer to Konoha. It was wishful thinking on the highest terms, but Sakura didn't want to waste any more time. She wanted to know what had become of her teammates because she couldn't even remember them escaping that dimension.
The reality of that situation was, no one could know how to do that right? It was Kaguya who brought them there...Sakura didn't like dwelling in the unknown. She considered going back to the room she was in, there was a desk there and a bookshelf. Perhaps she would find a map. There had to be one on this ship, how else would these people be able to navigate?
She needed to see how far she was from Konoha and what happened to everyone.
"What are you up to, skulking about?"
The guttural voice sent a chill down her spine and set her hair standing on alert because for a moment she had fallen into a relaxed state and dropped her guard. She didn't even sense the presence behind her. When Sakura looked around, she wondered how she could've missed it.
"Answer the question,"
He was quite tall, his expression cold and his eyes narrowed in on her like he was waiting for a sudden attack. What Sakura noticed was his striking short green hair almost neon, and the two swords on his waist where he rested one of his hands.
Sakura didn't know if he was going to attempt to attack, despite his posture. He seemed more suspicious than anything else. He looked like he was waiting to decide whether or not he needed to draw his blade on her.
Sakura didn't want to give him a reason to think he needed to. A fight on a ship without land anywhere in sight wouldn't be ideal. She wasn't sure how to sail a ship, or where she was, and if she made an enemy out of these people her situation might only get worse and created unnecessary complications.
'Let's just play nice for now,'
"Hello. I was just looking around since everyone seemed to be sleeping," He kept staring at her with a cold gaze. "Um, who are you?"
"That's what I should be asking," He said, stepping closer. "You're just walking about our ship without a care,"
Sakura kept a straight face, though her temperament was threatening to let her anger peak through the curtains. "Well, I just woke up and everyone was sleeping so I didn't want to disturb you,"
"Nami was in the cabin, you could've woken her up," He then peered back, "She is still sleeping right? You didn't do anything to her?"
Sakura was taken aback at the implication, "No! If you're talking about the girl with the orange hair, she was sleeping at the desk when I came up,"
'This bastard,' Here he was being suspicious of her as if she had just snuck onto their ship. Sakura was certain she hadn't done anything like that. Though her memory was completely blank passed the attack on Kaguya.
Sakura swallowed, her throat dry from the long sleep. But she needed answers and didn't need to feel as if she was imposing anymore. This person was seeing her as a problem and she wasn't going to let him continue for something that wasn't her fault.
"I don't mean any harm I just wanted to figure out where I was,"
"Harm?" He scoffed as if the notion was laughable. In her state, she didn't exactly appear to be a threat, with her injuries, tired eyes, and worn expression. "So you just helped yourself to our ship? Trying to loot us after we dragged you out of the sea?"
"I didn't steal anything," Sakura was still wearing her attire from when she was fighting the war, with one of the sleeves torn off, which didn't make for the best place to hide anything. It was simply dark-colored pants and a sweater. She hadn't even bothered to search for her shoes and chose to step around without them. It was easier to be quiet that way.
'At least now I know I was pulled from the sea,' If that was the case, then what exactly happened for her to get there? She would like to be able to ask this person, but he didn't seem as interested in giving answers as he did in receiving them.
Her brief responses seemed to satisfy the hostile stranger, as his posture relaxed.
"Well anyway go wait in the kitchen. I'm gonna wake the rest of my crew and let them know you're up and about. We've got to figure out what the hell we're going to do with you now,"
Sakura didn't like the feeling of being interrogated, especially when she didn't know the whole story right now.
"Hold on, I already said I don't mean any harm and I don't believe I'm obligated to just give you answers,"
"Well, then we'll be more than happy to toss you overboard back where we found you. Then find someone else whose willing to bring you on their ship on your terms pinky,"
Sakura glared at him and he glared right back. She decided to feign surrender, "Alright, I understand,"
Though she didn't appreciate the blatant suspicion, she needed answers herself. And it was better to be amicable towards someone who claimed to save you. Especially when you were on a ship in the middle of the ocean with no way of creating further distances. Crunching the numbers, and cooperating were her best odds for now.
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It was a short drag down into the kitchen and sitting room, the cooking counter in one corner with a refrigerator, a small table set with a bench on the other side, and the rudder of the boat also neatly situated in the room.
The swordsman turned on the lights and left right after ordering Sakura not to move from her seat. She wondered if his tone of voice just naturally carried a warning or if it was deliberate.
'Are the rest of his crew going to be as unsavory?' Well not like it mattered, she would have to be introduced at some point. Perhaps they would be able to fill in the blank slots of her memory between this time and the war.
'But he did say they fished me out of the sea' Leaning on her arms, her hand raked through her hair, her nails scratching at her dry scalp as she realized it needed a good rinse out from the seawater.
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Sakura waited for nearly ten minutes and was ready to go out herself, before heavy shuffling and creaks on the ship's floorboards became louder and the other people she had seen on board entered in a fuss through the door. Some were a bit groggy, but they weren't too tired to shove each other out of the way and swarm in front of her.
"Sanji make a snack!" The dark-haired boy demanded.
"Luffy, that's not what we woke up for!" Said the blonde.
"But we're already in the kitchen,"
"Unbelievable," The girl muttered.
"Hey, will you idiots remember why we're up here!" The green-haired man demanded.
The five stopped their bickering and turned their attention to Sakura. She observed them again in a closer light, no one aside from the swordsmen posturing any caution towards her. Next to all of them though she would stand as the shortest so it's not like they needed to lift themselves higher.
The only girl in the group stepped closer, "Hey, how are you feeling?"
"Alright though I've had better days," Sakura answered with a coy smile.
"I'm Nami,"
"Sakura, Haruno Sakura. Thanks for saving me,"
The dark-haired boy in the red vest swiped his nose, "Well it was Sanji that dove in to get ya,"
Then another one of them pushed through, it was the blonde. He looked at Sakura in a swooning nature, taking her uninjured hand in his. He caressed the top.
"Sanji at your service my dear. I am happy to have been able to fish you from the sea and bring you aboard our vessel,"
Sakura gave a wry smile, "Uh, thanks,"
Any other day, she would be blushing happily at the attention but at the moment it was a short-lived ego boost.
"Oi, perverted cook we don't have time for this crap, we're supposed to be interrogating not flirting,"
Sanji looked back at the swordsmen, "Shut up Marimo!"
"Sanji, cut it out you're going to scare her,"
The blonde turned away and to the orange-haired girl. "Oh Nami-san, I would never!"
It was a little hard to compromise what was happening here, but at the same time, Sakura found herself relatively relaxed. The orange-haired girl lightly shoved Sanji away when he attempted to embrace her.
"Right, before anything else we should finish introductions, " Nami waved over to the blonde, "That's Sanji, you've already met Zoro," She gestured to the swordsmen, then she pointed to the guy with the long nose, "This is Ussop,"
"And I'm Luffy!" The boy in the red vest and straw hat greeted, with a wide grin, "I'm the captain of this pirate ship!"
Her eyebrow lifted, "A pirate?"
"Yup, we're pirates!" He stated proudly, hands on his hips. "We're going to the Grand Line to find the One piece!"
"Luffy!" Nami hit her captain over the head. He whined, touching the spot she attacked, his voice dragging out like a child complaining.
"Nami, why'd you hit me?"
"Don't go blurting that out, you might scare her!"
"But it's the truth!"
Sakura stared at them. She knew that there were pirates on the seas as there were bandits on land and what these two had in common were they tended to be the enemies of shinobi. They just weren't that common and Sakura herself hadn't dealt with pirates before. Missions to guard cargo ships were typical, but she hadn't really encountered that many enemies at sea. Being a pirate meant a life on the ocean.
It would also mean that these people that helped her were criminals. Although she didn't think this would be the type of encounter to expect from pirates. Aside from Zoro, the others weren't hostile toward her. What's more, Sakura had no intention of starting unnecessary melees over revealing their status.
Of course, they had no idea that she was a ninja.
"Sanji, I want food!"
"Luffy, it's the middle of the night can your stomach give it a rest already?"
"But-
A cry of hunger emitted from Sakura's stomach, like an animal on the verge of dying, it was so loud the entire crew looked at her. She blushed.
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"I'm guessing you were shipwrecked huh?" Nami asked, tapping the table. Sakura had been listening to the sizzling of the oil meeting the flames in the pan, inhaling the simmering smoke in delight as Sanji stood over the stove preparing a meal. Though Sakura had argued it seemed a bit late, he had promised her a full course after hearing her stomach cry in hunger.
It was simply that she hadn't eaten in a few days being unconscious but she didn't mind that much. She could endure the hunger, but her curiosity had to be sated soon.
"Shipwrecked?" Sakura frowned, "I don't remember being on any ship besides yours right now,"
"Huh?" Ussop quirked an eyebrow at her. "We're way out in the East Blue, you must've been on a ship,"
"Where exactly did you find me?"
"In the middle of the ocean floating on some piece of driftwood, it seemed to be part of a ship," Nami said.
'All I remember is being in that dimension with the others, how big of a gap in my memory is there?' Sakura was asleep for a few days, she had wounds that she couldn't explain. Her bones were straining under the bandages on her arm and her fingers ached with every movement.
"I don't remember being on a ship. Where exactly are you heading, I want to return to my village as soon as possible,"
If she could just figure out the way back to Konoha then everything would be fine. She would get answers there. And her friends would be there too right? These people seemed at peace with things and in a world where a war that threatened the world had taken place, it had to mean that it was over right?
She wanted to ask about it, but at the same time, Sakura didn't know if she should give away her position as a ninja, at least not to pirates.
"We're going to Grand Line!" Luffy exclaimed, his arms up in excitement.
Her face scrunched, "Grand Line? You mentioned that before but what or where is that?"
Everyone's eyes settled on her, and Sakura saw they were stunned by her question.
"You haven't heard about the Grand Line?" asked Zoro, narrowing his eyes in disbelief. Everyone in the world knew about the dangerous sea that many attempted to voyage. It was a legend amongst legends.
Sakura shook her head. She could tell that her honesty had aroused suspicions but she didn't understand why?
"Maybe your memories have been affected worse than you thought, what's the village you come from?" asked Nami
"Konohagakure,"
Nami frowned, "I've never heard of it before, hang on,"
She left the table suddenly and rushed out leaving Sakura with a few remaining stares.
"What the hell are we supposed to do with her now?" Zoro asked, glaring at Sakura.
"Shut up moss head!" Sanji hissed, "Don't talk about her like that,"
"What, we can't take her with us to the Grand Line! And we can't seriously think about turning back, not now."
They had defied the marines one too many times and were pirates. Wanted criminals. Their ship with a skull would identify them as such and many places were unwelcoming to their kind. It wouldn't just be a setback, it would be an enormous risk. It would get in the way of their goals. But if their captain ordered it, Zoro wouldn't question any further.
While it's been recent, Zoro already knew their captain's patterns and he would likely offer to help her.
"What exactly is the Grand Line?" Sakura chose for the moment to put hostility away so that she could get her answers.
"So you don't know about it?" Ussop gasped.
"Sorry," Sakura shrugged.
Luffy was giddy, legs crossed as he rocked in his seat. "We're going to the Grand Line to find the One Piece and I'm gonna become King of the Pirates!"
Sakura tilted her head, and Ussop's jaw dropped, "You haven't heard about One piece? Captain Gold Rogers treasure that he left in the Grand Line?"
"You're talking as if I should know all of this already, but I really don't."
Sanji turned away from the stove after turning the heat on lower. "Oh Sakura-chan, it's common knowledge, perhaps you've injured your head. Would you like me to examine you?"
"Thank you for offering, but I can handle that myself," She was sure she hadn't sustained head trauma, at least she hoped, even as her skull was throbbing slightly but Sakura knew she couldn't expect to be in top condition after everything she's been through.
If only she could figure out what exactly that was.
Nami came back and set a map down on the table, "Sakura can you show us where your village is located more or less?"
Though Nami had asked this a few times, her voice wasn't able to reach her as she looked at the map. Sakura knew how to read a map well enough, a necessary skill as a shinobi and she's seen her fair share of maps of the world and this was not it.
No, it was nothing close to any map she has ever seen before. The sea was there, but there was only one strip of land on the whole map called the Red Line. There were small parts indicating land but it was divided, into the oceans called the North Blue, South Blue, East Blue, and West Blue.
There was no Fire Country, Sand, or any of the nations where shinobi villages would be including her own. Her eyes trembled.
"That's impossible…. this can't be real,"
"It's an accurate map Sakura, I promise, otherwise we're heading in the wrong direction and simply drifting on the sea," Nami laughed, trying to lighten the pink-haired girl's distress but it was clear she had begun to spiral.
"Please calm down, Sakura-chan," Sanji said slowly walking over to her as the girl's breathing grew heavy and her forehead began to sweat.
Zoro stood up from his seat, coming around to the pink-haired girl, "Something's up,"
"Huh? Why do you say that Zoro?" Luffy asked.
"Are you saying you don't remember anything, not even where your village is? Then how did you end up shipwrecked? What do you remember?"
"Why can't…..why can't I remember…..where are they?" Lacing her fingers through her hair, she tugged on the stands, pulling hard on her scalp. She tried to force herself to go back further, from the point of their face-off against Kaguya. She couldn't have lost her friends in this way. Not to amnesia. This wasn't supposed to happen!
"Who Sakura?"
"Naruto….Sasuke…Kakashi, they-they were with me, they were there in that-that-
She lifted the odd fruit to her mouth, feeling her jaw widen before clapping down, a bitter taste filling her tongue but she proceeded to swallow it down.
"Sakura slow down, you're starting to panic," Nami tried approaching but Sakura shot up from her seat and rushed out of the door.
Out onto the deck, she didn't even look as she stumbled right over the railing, hitting the ground hard. Clutching her head as every blood vessel, and nerve throbbed, bringing more pain than she had ever experienced with a head injury.
She kept pushing for memories to surface. 'I have to find them!'
Why weren't things making sense? Why was she out at sea? Why did pirates rescue her? What was this Grand Line and this map that looked like an entirely new world to her?
'Where am I?'
Sakura heard movements around her and felt she was being surrounded, but she didn't care. They were on a ship, there was only so many present. Her focus was elsewhere, as she closed her eyes and opened them again, they were no longer staring at the pirates that surrounded her or the night sky in their background. Now she could see the bright world of the dimension Kaguya had summoned them to, where they would hopefully make their final stand against her.
"Sakura!" She heard Naruto calling her name but her sights were now on the women above in the sky. Yet somehow, she seemed to be eye to eye with her, but it was like having her head under the murky water, a clear picture couldn't be made no matter how hard she yearned for it.
She didn't feel it, but she could see that she was moving through the air at great speeds towards the enemy, and then just as they reached each other. A window of blank seemed to open and pull her in. After that nothing.
'Uh oh,' Sakura felt her head loll to the side, without knowing she had fallen into a deep sleep. She heard a mutter of voices, some raising, and aimed at one another.
"This is all your fault Moss head!"
"The hell it is!"
"Cut it out!"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone