Reborn as Sakura and Hinata: Lost in the Wind

Loyalties

I dusted my hands off as I surveyed the progress around me. The tree saplings that were already planted were looking healthy and promising. The towering figure of Jugo caught my eye, and I couldn't help but smile at the way other people were gawking at him as he single handedly carried one of the larger saplings to its plot.

I walked over to him as he set the tree by the hole Karin was digging.

"Do you need help finishing?" I asked her, stooping down to look at the progress.

"That would be nice." she smiled, seeming a little tired. That was fair though, we had been digging orchard plots all week.

I crouched down and helped her to finish digging out the plot.

"I'm surprised with how far everything's come along." Karin commented.

"Yeah," I smiled, "It's honestly better than I could have ever hoped."

"The orchard should be done in the next week right?" Jugo asked, scanning over the rest of the field, which was already filled with trees.

"I think so." I smiled, "We've been setting up irrigation along the way, and I don't think there's any other systems that need to be set up except for maybe a fence.

"A fence might be a good idea." Karin mused, "We should ask the locals if they have any particular wild animal problems."

"That's smart." I agreed, "That way we can shape the amount of work we do to what we actually need."

"How do you think the central building is going?" Karin hummed, "It's a little nerve wracking not to be there to monitor it."

"I admit that it is." I sighed, "But we need a really solid agricultural base before we can focus all of our attention on the details. By time we get there, I would think that there'd only be a skeleton of a city, so hopefully there'll be room to change things."

Karin nodded, turning her attention to the sapling to see what its dimensions were, "I think we're ready, Jugo."

Jugo nodded, easily picking up the sapling again and carefully lowering it into the ground. Karin and I then busied ourselves smoothing over the ground before standing up to admire our work.

"That's a good looking tree." I stated proudly.

"That's a snake." I heard Karin's quiet exclamation.

I glanced at her in bewilderment before I registered the pearly white head of a boa constrictor peeking out from my collar, "Yeah," I looked back up at her, "It is."

She made several gestures like she was about to try and reach out and remove it from me before shrinking back, "Wh-why? Why is it on you!?"

"Because she's my snake." I quirked a confused eyebrow at her reaction.

"Why do you have a snake!?" she blurted.

I smiled fondly down at the animal, lifting a hand up to rub under her chin, "I found her in one of the laboratories." I looked down at the snake, "I think Orochimaru was going to experiment on her, and then she was left all alone when he died and we couldn't have that." I cooed as I continued to pet her.

Karin looked back at Jugo, who just offered a shrug.

Karin looked back at me with mild horror, "Is it in your shirt?"

"Yes?" I answered, "She likes to be warm."

Karin shuddered, "I don't know how you can stand to be so close to those creatures after living with him."