Hidden In The Leaf

Secrets of the leaf.. Part 39....

........................Comrades........................

...........................HAIKU[39]....................

 
         NO PERMANENCE IS OURS

   WE ARE THE WAVES THAT FLOWS

   TO FIT WHATEVER FORM  IT FINDS

                         
                                 -Hermann Hesse-
         

................o0o0o0o0o0o0.....................

   
 
Condensed fog, drifted in and around piped oxidized goliaths in a slithering tango, mimicking a motion far more sensual than it should have been. Silently, it beckoned Sakura towards a path she ought not to follow. Yet still, she unhappily sauntered along, trusting in the moment, every invisible ounce of supernatural forces the Ookutski's had bestood upon their doomed trio. 

The dangers she could face of not knowing what or whom she would encounter, remained imminent despite her seemingly blind obedience.

Very skillfully and with great stealth, Sakura some how managed to carve small markings as she went, obviously not knowing much about the terrain, say but the one map she studied some years ago.

Missions to the rain were almost never assigned to young Jounins much like her self. But over the years there were quite a few exceptions to that rule; exceptions meaning Lee and of-coarse Sai, who himself had been chained beneath Danzo's command.

After notably searching for what she nor the others knew or recognized, besides Itachi, Sakura's mind wandered towards the possibility of her being caught in a genjitsu of some kind, perhaps one that eerily resembled the Mist's signature. But in the wake of a few wary attempts at trying to dispell its traces, she concluded otherwise.

It was strange though, in more ways than one. Especially since Sakura's followed path lead towards nothing but hidden dilapitated buildings. It was heart rendering knowing the land's inhabitants lived this way. The fault she figured, fell towards their former leaders and of coarse, their geological location.

A nation riddled by War seemingly unending, they said. It was an era that witnessed the birth of countless talented shinobies before her, and that of the rise of the leaf's three legendary sannins as well as Tendo Pain's puppeted quest.

To witness such structual decay for what could have been a beautiful nation, tugged at her heartstrings just a little. But for one reason or the other, the Rain's residents  enthusiastically choose to stick around their rusted disaster. Talk about one's love for their nation, and that clearly said plenty, given the country's history with the underground world of crime.

Momentarily though, her surroundings did offer some fashion of twisted levity. If memories served right, these weathered exteriors did mimic an old unsightly painting the pinkette had once seen, titled 'Weary elements'. It was an ugly piece willfully pinned above Lady Tsunade's bed; gifted to her by one poor unfortunate soul, trying to court Shizune a few years ago. Why her shishou kept that darned thing, was beyond Sakura.

That aside, surely one must have had to posess extraordinary ocular talents when drifting through these side streets and back alleys. Or perhaps had prior knowledge of the area before undertaking any sorts of mission, what's so ever. Hats off to the rare few that lived and dwelt in and among the area in the name of fulfilling their missions. Jiraiya-Sensei being one such individual apart from their very own, Itachi-Uchiha, whom perhaps had lived far more intimately amongst these sorrowful ruins.