Lost in His World (A Sasuke Fanfic)

⇜Chapter 57⇝

            The journey to the Sand Country was rough. It was longer than our journey from the Land of Light to the Snow Country. If I was miserable due to the freezing temperature in the Land of Snow, I was almost begging my friends to forget about seeing Gaara and just head back to Konoha. The punishing sun and burning sand were almost unbearable for someone who grew up enjoying the nice California weather. But it was me who needed Gaara-sama’s favor so I knew I had to just bear with it until we reach the Sand Village where there was shade. I just tried to convince myself that it would be a lot more comfortable in the village because at least I could stay in a house or under a tree. 

            I sure hope they have ice cold water in the Sand Village, I thought to myself and wiped the sweat off my forehead with my forearm.     

            I almost jumped out of great surprise when a cloth suddenly landed on my head, completely obscuring my view of the sea of sand. When I lifted the end that’s covering my face, I saw Sasuke walking about an arm’s length ahead of me. He had his head turned just enough to see me looking at him.

            “Thank you,” I told him upon realizing that it was from him. Sasuke didn’t answer and just shifted his focus back front. His simple gesture gave me butterflies in my stomach nonetheless. I pulled the cloth tighter around my body when I recognized it to be Sasuke’s cloak, and enjoyed his scent on the cloak.

            An hour more into our journey and I finally see something from afar. It looked like a black line breaking the view of endless sand.

            “Please tell me that’s the Sand Village,” I said out loud not bothering to hide my desperation.

            “Yup. That’s it,” Ino confirmed with a smile. It made me feel relieved.

            “Oh good. How long ‘til we reach it?”

            “About another hour or so,” she replied casually.

            “What! Another hour?”

            “Ah-huh,” she replied again casually. She continued with her consistent pace along with the others who didn’t seem to be bothered much by the burning sun.

            By the time we reached the huge entrance of the village, I was already desperate for water and my clothes were drenched in sweat. My skin felt sticky what with the sun, sweat and sand sticking to my sun-burned skin.

            “Oh gross,” I complained silently before we were greeted by the ninjas of the Sand.

            “Welcome Konoha ninjas. Lord Gaara has been waiting for you all,” greeted Baki, one of the council members of the Sunagakure. Baki bowed to us all and, as respect, we all bowed to him as well.

            “Thank you for welcoming us, sir,” I said, gaining the Sand jounin’s attention.

            “You must be Konoha’s guest that Gaara-sama told us about.”

            “Yes, sir,” I replied.

            “Please, miss, there’s no need to call me sir.”

            “Very well. What should I call you?”

            “Baki would be just fine, miss.”

            “Alright. But please, Baki-san, call me Mika.”

            “Very well, Mika-san,” Baki said, borrowing my words. “Welcome to Sunagakure.”