When Ibiki and Genma opened the door to the inn room they hadn't been in for the past two weeks, they were greeted by the sight of a floor completely covered in sand, a small potted cacti sitting on the table where the light of the window would shine, a jar holding a suspicious substance right beside that, and Sakura—caked in mud—tearing scraps of paper into unrecoverable pieces. She looked up and waved.
"Hey! How was the job?"
Genma looked like he was he was going to ask a question, struggling to make sense on what the hell was going on, but then shook his head. "You know what? I'm not even going to try to understand," he said. He tossed his pack on one of the beds and fell beside it. "You do you, kid. No matter how crazy you are."
Ibiki eyed the room as he too stepped inside and set his things on the bed, approaching the suspicious jar and lifting it in front of his face. There were five spiders crawling in the secluded space as they glared angrily at their circumstance.
"... What are these?"
"Wandering spiders. Did you know their venom is twenty times more potent than a black widow's if it gets into the bloodstream? People affected can lose control of their muscles, have breathing problems, get respiratory paralysis that can lead to suffocation—"
Ibiki slowly placed the jar down and took a step back.
"—not to mention it's incredibly painful. I was lucky enough to find these sneaky bastards on the other side of the Wind bor—I mean, around. Finding them around."
He would chastise her on leaving the town, not at all surprised that she'd do so in the first place, but they did say if she was back before their return they wouldn't ask any questions. And fair was fair.
"I don't know what it is with you and your fascination with poisons, but at least it keeps you from doing anything illegal," he admitted as he sat down on the chair next to the table. Genma flopped onto his stomach to get a good look at the offending arachnids and scrunched up his nose.
"Gross. So what's with the plant?"
Sakura took the pieces of paper and slid them into the trash. "A gift from a friend. His hobby's cultivating cacti," she smiled. Her sensei exchanged looks, knowing fully well that they should question the so-called 'friend' she'd made outside country boundaries. But they also knew she wouldn't let a word out if she didn't want to, so they'd be pressing on for nothing.
They decided to trust her on it. Until there ever came a chance it blew up in her face.
"Cacti, huh? Seems like something boring people would do," Genma said.
"And all you do in your spare time is hit on women who are way out of your league. Who's the real loser here?" Sakura hummed. Ibiki snorted at the pouty disgruntled expression on the other Jounin's face.
"You two can argue about hobbies later. We'll be heading towards Kiri tonight so get as much rest as you can," he said. He glanced as his ward. "And you can rest after you take a damn shower. What made you go swimming in mud?"
She grinned and put up a finger. "Ah, ah, ah, you said if I'm in town when you get back you wouldn't ask any questions."
Ibiki's eye twitched, but he sighed and reclined in his seat. Irritatingly annoying or not, she was doing better. And that's all he hoped to take from the mission.
::
The Clans of Konoha meeting was called to session, first order of business: deciding whether Haruno Sakura should or shouldn't be sought out by ROOT. Dan turned to the first seat to his left.
"Your thoughts on the matter?"
Aburame Shibi glanced around the table, noting the topic had brought about a fair amount of interest to the people who otherwise took these meetings as a monotonous requirement. "She doesn't fit the mold. Regardless of whether or not she'd still be able to function as a member of the organization, I don't think this would be the best course of action. I have a family member already in it and if the same thing that happened to him will happen to her, I'd rather not go through with it. It's obvious that she's different and ROOT won't be able to handle that," he said. Quiet murmurs ran around the room as Dan looked to the next seat.
"Akimichi-san?"
Chouza leaned against his forearms. "She's colder than a lot of kids. I can't deny that," he shrugged, "but she has a lot of compassion and understanding. That's rare enough as it is and I'd hate to see it lost if she's taken in."
She was also willing to look past his son's appearance and punch the crap out of his bullies, he later learned when his son recounted that day. He'd hate to see the kindness she had washed away to become the emotionless drones Danzo insisted on having.
The third seat came up next and Dan nodded for them to speak. Hyuuga Hiashi, a man whose face kept as firm and hard as stone, was known to treasure strength and skill above all else. He had taken positions before to send those with such assets to places where they would continue to get better than they already were. His answer was foreseen to be as obvious as day.
"My understanding is that she's already involved in a substantial number of main clans. Most here have met her or have at least heard of her name prior to these discussions," Hiashi started. His eyes betrayed no emotion. "Someone with that many connections is unheard of, and someone that could possibly sway clan politics has no place in that organization."
But apparently the day had some clouds passing through that hour. Murmurs broke out again as well as the surprised stares the others were giving him, but he paid no mind. They were already three for free against Sakura's passage into ROOT and they needed four more votes to pass the decisions.
Fourth seat down, Inuzuka Tsume, spoke next. "Kid's strong and knows what the hell she's doing and what she needs to do is fix up that stuffy hole with her quirks," she huffed. She was one of the few who openly voiced her discontent with Danzo and the shady service he aligned himself with—in fact, she would be more than glad to have someone in there disrupting the flow. "She's gonna be one of the best shinobi out there, so might as well put those skills to use. She graduated two years ahead of her time, and I think we all know she could've gone much earlier than that."
The first supporter came from the one the meeting least expected oddly enough. Tsume always took to places against the council, especially Danzo, and everyone else was severely thrown off by the change of heart. The next supporter, right in the seat beside her, agreed as well.
"Haruno Sakura is the youngest to join the T&I sector and is currently under the jurisdiction of Morino Ibiki and Shiranui Genma. Her statistic total is 31 and she's currently on an A-ranking mission," Nara Shikaku informed. Supreme attentiveness broke through the other clan members who had not been able to access her file, therefore lost to the particular fact. "There's nothing she doesn't already know. If she's as far gone as everyone's saying she is, there's no point in stopping her. She'll only get stronger and smarter—nothing's holding her back."
He ignored the glare his long-time friend sent him from the other side of the table. He had nothing against the girl and certainly had no ill-intent towards her, but she was intelligent and determined. She was someone to be wary of and needed to be watched lest something critical happened. Again.
Across Shikaku, Sarutobi Hiruzen puffed away the smoke he drew in from his pipe. "Not necessarily. Higher callings don't always work. It didn't work with Hatake Kakashi, and I believe it would be the same for her."
He knew that well.
Four to two. Not bad odds for those who wanted to keep Sakura out of ROOT, but there were still six more people who had to give their say. From beside the former Hokage, Shimura Danzo loosely curled his fingers atop his cane.
"My reason still stands. She is the perfect candidate," he voiced. It wasn't what he said that made every stop. It was the subtle implication he had lurking behind his few words. Perfect candidate, perfect candidate- he said it so much and yes, the girl was more than acceptable to bring into his ranks. But why did he have to keep repeating the fact that she was perfect?
Then almost collectively, they understood.
"You want her to be your successor," Chouza said. Danzo smirked.
"I've never made such a claim."
He didn't have to, and that's what made Dan's jaw set. The Godaime swept his eyes to the next seat who had yet to speak and motioned for them to say what they had to.
"I witnessed her power myself when Shimura-san tested her. She's powerful and ROOT would be an outlet she needs to keep that skill in check as well as drive it to Konoha's better needs. T&I might not be enough," Uchiha Fugaku stated. Control was what was needed and what she didn't have. Once under Danzo, she would be smart enough to handle her own as well as be closely monitored.
Four to four. The odds were even as the attention moved to Yamanaka Inoichi. His arms were crossed over his chest as his face stayed just as icy as it had been last conference.
"There are many things I can't say about her because of patient confidentiality, but know this. Speaking from my position as her therapist, she is not stable enough to involve herself with ROOT."
The two council members, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, had been alike in their beliefs and moral compasses since being teammates years and years ago. For counseling with the people's needs, they'd always sided with Hiruzen. But when counseling shinobi matters, their militant way of thinking had them consistently siding with Danzo. This discussion proved no different.
"We've gone through her file. She's a peculiar one that could prove to be a complication if she's not kept in check at an early stage," Koharu said. Homura continued with that sentiment.
"People like her can be dangerous if they fall into the wrong places. Those who are in charge of her aren't exactly problems now, but have proved to be loose cannons in the past. Morino Ibiki: head of Torture and Interrogation and one of the leading minds behind ANBU Operations. Shiranui Genma: proficient in stealth missions but has multiple past violations in defying leadership. Mitarashi Anko: served several probations and suspensions due to her actions that have proved her a force to be reckoned with but a danger to others."
"Haruno Sakura has already proved quite troublesome with her reckless tendencies and her disregard for authority, her team's previous mission to Wave being a prime example of such," Koharu interjected smoothly. She didn't miss the way the mention of that near-tragic mission caused a ripple of unease through the room. "Her influences won't help her in any matter and would curb her to be more like them, to which I find unacceptable."
How they could talk about fellow shinobi like that was beyond most of the members' comprehension.
"What that girl needs is discipline. That is what ROOT will provide for her," Homura finished. All eyes then turned to Kato Dan whose chair was at the front of the table. His fingers were clasped together with his chin propped up on the interlinked joints, regarding the other eleven members coolly. A five to six match up and it was his choice that determined whether Sakura would be actively pursued by ROOT or be safe, or as safe as someone of her standing could be.
"Since she was to become a T&I intern and was the youngest to ever be listed, it was my duty to personally review her and be there for at least some of her required tests. The one I remember most prominently was her Mental Health Examination."
Inoichi glanced to the side.
"It was not a very long exam, perhaps twenty minutes. Thirty at most. But in that short time I realized something about her that I hoped to never see in anyone," he said. "If she were to pick any organization to be a part of besides T&I or Intelligence, it wouldn't be the tokubetsu jounin, or ANBU, nor Hunter-nin, nor ROOT. She would gladly elect herself in Red Ops if allowed."
A shiver went down a good half of their spines. Red Ops was more of a rumor with the citizens of Konoha, but higher-ups knew it was just as real as anything else.
Red Ops were those who took 'special' missions with every expectation of not finishing it alive.
"Just on the basis of how unique her skill is, we can't allow that. Add in that we're having such a discussion when she's only ten years old means we're absolutely not going to allow that. So to avoid that road as much as possible, I will readily leave her in the hands of T&I."
Silence.
"This gives us an even split. Is anyone willing to change their minds to tip the balance?"
Still, silence. Dan nodded, secretly, relieved.
"Then she'll be left alone until a proper decision has been concluded. We'll now move on to the next topic."
And so her fate was saved for another day.
::
Kirigakure could only be explained in a way that lived up to its namesake: misty. The air was cool and unimposing—a sharp contrast to the people that inhabited it. Sharp teeth, high suspicions, loud voices... well, they could be called more eccentric than most anyone else in Konoha.
"Yagura-sama has been expecting you," a tall guard informed the three. "I'm to escort you there, but the runt has to stay in the village."
Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Who're you calling a runt, stretch?"
Ibiki quickly slapped a hand over her mouth as Genma stepped in front of her and offered up a sheepish grin.
"Yagura-sama's hospitality is greatly appreciated," he said. As the guard pushed down an amused bark of laughter and turned to lead them away, Genma ruffled her hair and gave her a thumbs up as Ibiki gave her a pointed look that got across the apparent message 'behave'.
She flipped her non-existent hair over her shoulder and mouthed back 'we'll see'.
Once they were out of her sight, she schooled her expression and melded her presence to the edge of the roads. Kirigakure was mountainous surroundings and cylindrical buildings and she never had the chance to familiarize herself with it in her old life. They had a reputation they lived up to and held up the nickname Chigiri for a reason and that reason kept her far from their boundaries.
Of course, one of the main reasons Kiri went downhill was due to Madara's internal manipulation until Obito came and took his identity. But with the knowledge that Zabuza and Haku never defected and Yagura's stable position as Yondaime Mizukage, it was safe to assume it never followed through.
Sakura wandered to one of the mountains at the edge of the village and watched small waterfalls cascade down the dark stone.
"My, my, my, what have we here? Is that the little angel who healed me when I was in interrogation?" Mei glided up to her side. "Ah, I never thought the day would come when I'd see you again, angel," she cooed. "I didn't get the chance to thank you for your compassion that day when we both know I didn't deserve it. So would you please give the name of the kind heart I owe my gratitude to?"
"I'm Haruno Sakura. It's nice to meet you under better circumstances," the ten year old greeted. Mei's smile grew wider, her face illuminating with glee.
"A name that translates to Cherry Blossom Spring Field?! That's adorable!" she exclaimed. Sakura's cheeks tinted a dash red before pulled into a hug. This Mei was a far cry from the silent prisoner she helped a while back, but reminiscent of the Mei she saw of in the other timeline. Cheery, polite, and with a soft side for cute things. Or people. Apparently.
"Te-Terumi-san—"
"Call me Mei, angel!"
"Um, you've kinda, uh, lifted me off the ground," Sakura informed her with an awkward chuckle. "My feet are dangling."
The woman's auburn hair brushed the cloth of her skirt as she leaned to the side to see that she did, in fact, lift the genin so high up that she dangled in her grip. She laughed.
"Sorry about that, angel. Tell me, what brings you to this gloomy island?" Mei questioned, setting the girl back down onto her feet. Sakura's blush deepened as she straightened her shirt.
"My sensei are speaking with Yagura-sama about something, so I'm supposed to behave but I've got nothing to do," she sighed. A thought suddenly struck. "Actually, do you know where I can find Momochi Zabuza?"
Mei's pretty red lips took a slight turn downwards. "That grouch? He's normally out training with Haku-chan. Do you need me to take you to him?"
"If it's not any trouble."
"Now why would that be any trouble, darling angel?" Mei gushed. "Such a polite girl with beautiful pink hair and wonderful chakra control, I'm sure. Quite the diamond, aren't you? Precious!"
Sakura's face went crimson and she let herself be led through Kiri.
::
Zabuza carefully examined the double kodachi in his hands. When sheathed, it had the appearance of a simple katana as the second sword was well hidden at the bottom of the scabbard appearance. The blades were crafted from the strongest, rarest steel on the market as up to date—the S7 Shock—and had the approved seal of artistry from the best blacksmith Kirigakure had to offer.
'Can't believe I actually had this ordered.' He spared a glance at his apprentice training on the field before looking back to the blade. 'But she saved his life, and there's not enough in the world I can do to pay her back for it.'
A few seconds later, the ice mirrors Haku formed shattered onto the ground and he bolted to the other side of the training field, tears threatening to fall. Mei, Zabuza recognized with some exasperation, had showed up with a shorter figure in tow.
"Sakura-san!" the boy cried. "Sakura-san! Sakura-san, you're okay!"
He barreled right into her.
Zabuza twirled the double kodachi in his hand and silently eased his way towards the small reunion.
Huh. Couldn't have been more convenient of a time for her to show.
"I thought Hatake-san wouldn't be fast enough," Haku sniffed. "You lost a lot of blood and your pulse was so weak that I thought... I thought..."
Mei tilted her head at the sight and raised her uncovered eye to meet Zabuza's in a silent question and he shook his head once; he'd tell her sometime later if the topic ever came back up. He then placed a gentle hand on his student's shoulders before focusing on Sakura to see that she looked just as healthy as she did the day she came to Wave with her team.
"You recovered well."
"Like I'm going to let a few metal beams stop me from kicking ass," the girl grinned. Zabuza snorted.
"Right. Here," he said, holding out the double kodachi. "Just like you requested."
Her eyes lit up. "Oh! The blades! I didn't think you'd remem—"
"And these too!" Haku exclaimed. He took out a pair of well-polished wrist blades from his kunai pouch and placed them in Sakura's palms, then closing her fingers around it. She blinked at the objects and looked back and forth between the two.
"I didn't ask for wrist blades."
"No. But you said you had a small thing with them, so Haku thought we might as well get you some new ones," Zabuza shrugged.
"So how much for—"
"No charge."
"What?"
The surprised utterance came from Mei, who stomped over and poked the swordsman in the chest accusingly.
"When did you learn how to be gratuitous? I've never seen you do one good thing and I've known you since our genin days!"
Haku didn't seem fazed by the argument that broke out between the two of them and merely turned his full attention to Sakura. She gazed at the blades with a sparkle in her eyes, though still confused as to why weapons so expensive could be gifted to her.
"You didn't have to save me that day," he told her quietly. "But... think of it as a small thank you. This is the least we could do for you."
"Haku—"
"Please, Sakura. Just take them, okay?"
Those brown eyes glimmered again, sadly but brightly, hopefulness twisting so thoroughly with kindness that for a moment she really thought that they were green. She nodded as she forced a smile onto her face.
"Okay."
::
Chapter 50 everyone!!
So what's a milestone without at least some previews of future events?
~
"She was just a little girl, Kakashi!"
~
"Why else would everything be so fucking different?!"
~
Kisame twitched as his hand slowly made its way to Samehada's hilt.
'I'm not supposed to be here.'
~
"Because my name is Haruno Sachiko and I won't be known as anything other than that!"
::
And here's a wonderful banner by skyscapic !
A splendid cover by Teukari123 !
And two awesome fanart covers by RikaTojido !
::
EDITED 2.10.18