"Shino's been kinda down lately."
Torune blinked and turned around. When he saw Haruno Sakura perched herself on the walkway railings with a carefree smile like she had every business being where she was.
"What are you doing here?" he questioned. He glanced around him to make sure no one was watching and was a little relieved to find that it was just the two of them here. "Who let you in?"
"Uh, I let me in? I've been given access to the main entrance," she replied. Incredulity started to mix in with his shock.
"Danzo-sama granted you entry to ROOT Headquarters," he reiterated. He squinted through the glasses of his face mask, trying to make sense of the situation. Torune had never seen her on or around the premises before, and if he did, he surely would've remembered. She was one of Shino's near and dear friends.
"Pretty much," she shrugged. She pressed an index finger to her lips and winked. "But don't start telling people that. The councilman is essentially the only person that knows about it. Can you keep a secret?"
"My loyalty will always align with Danzo-sama," was his immediate reply. He frowned. "But I will be asking him to make sure you're authorized to be on these grounds."
Sakura waved a hand.
"Go head. I just wanted to tell you that Shino's been kinda down lately."
Torune crossed his arms over his chest.
"What do you mean?"
"I was making origami cranes with him yesterday," she said.
Folding small slips of patterned paper was nice, but she couldn't imagine doing it over and over on a regular basis. Though it seemed to make Shino content at each finished crane as his insects trickled out the edges of his clothing.
"I know there's no real use in making wishes... but it doesn't hurt to try sometimes, I suppose," he said. "I head somewhere that if someone makes a thousand paper cranes they get to make wish."
He finished one, set it aside, and started on crane number 879.
"Oh. And thank you for helping me. You didn't have to."
Sakura smiled and took another sheet of origami paper off the pile to start on crane 880.
"It's no problem. You know that," she replied. "So what's your wish going to be?"
His shoulders hunched slightly and he bent his head more towards his folding, his glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose just enough for her to see his melancholic brown eyes crinkle at the edges.
"It'd be nice to see Torune again."
Torune looked to the side guiltily. Shino was like the little brother he never hand and of course he loved him like one all the same, but what could he do? His obligation to ROOT was a harsh one-- he couldn't even remember the last time he stepped foot on the Aburame compound, even for a quick visit.
"Your concern has been noted, but I have some things I should be attending to at the moment. Now, Haruno-san, if you'll excuse me-"
She hopped off the railing, interrupting him.
"I'll take your job for the day," she offered. At his startled expression, her eyes lit up. "What's with the look?"
"I can't just give you classified work-"
"Why not? The councilman already knows I'm here and I'm sure he won't have a problem if I take over for one day, right?"
Torune wasn't going to lie, the idea of getting the day off to spend time was Shino sounded like a deal too good to be true. It probably was, given the suspicion that nipped at his skin. What was her angle? She wasn't a new recruit because she wasn't with the others and she wasn't an official operative because she wasn't dressed or in protocol. In fact, she might even be in uniform for a completely different sector.
"... Why are you doing this?"
"I care about Shino too, Aburame-san," she said. Shame bubbled in her throat, because even though her sentiment was true and tangible, it still wasn't her full motivation. "Let's just go see the councilman. I'm sure I can make a point for you."
She started to walk down the path to Danzo's office. Torune wasn't sure how she was familiar with the way or how she'd gotten herself tangled in the mess of village secrecy and politics, but he followed.
Then, like some prescient air that weighed in his gut, he felt that somehow... he'd be seeing much more of her in the future.
::
"In my hair again, Haruno?"
"It's a habit of mine, councilman. I'd try to stop it, but I really don't want to."
Torune was dumbfounded. It was painfully obvious that Sakura was one of the more eccentric types of people, but she either had to be incredibly bold or incredibly careless to speak to Danzo in such an easy manner. Not to mention the fact that she was nearly twelve years old and she had the guts of an aged veteran.
Danzo planted his free hand on his desk and observed the two with his good eye.
"What is it that you want?" he inquired coolly, attention flickering to the girl leaning on his desk. "If I'm not mistaken, Torune has things to do and you have personal concerns nowhere near my office."
"You should give Aburame-san the day off," Sakura stated simply. The poor fourteen year old who'd done nothing but stand at attention in the background for one whole minute, blanked at the blunt words that drove into the councilman's authority like a butcher's knife through butter. Danzo raised a brow.
"As a jounin of Konoha, you're not in any place to give me orders."
Torune shifted. He wasn't aware that Sakura made jounin.
"As a jounin of Konoha, I have every right to state my opinion," she answered, though not unkindly. "Besides, you should know fully well that listening to higher-ups isn't one of my strong suits. Now. The day off?"
"I see no point in relieving someone of their duties for one day when there are things that need to be done. This is ROOT, not a charity," he said. Sakura was undeterred.
"Well, it's my charity because I'm offering to take his place for the day. No extra pay, no recognition, no official documentation-- you know, like the stuff you normally have me do anyways. We have a deal?"
Thoughts raced through Torune's mind like an expanding wildfire. What? She'd already been working for ROOT unofficially? He wasn't one to question Danzo's decisions and he was sure it was one of those things that he should just keep his nose out of, but... but it was all so unprecedented that he wanted to know more.
Something odd was happening here. This was classified information that he shouldn't be hearing, yet they were conversing like he wasn't in the room.
The man's blank face gave nothing away as he grasped the hilt of his cane and stood.
"Fine," Danzo acquiesced. He looked at the stock-still boy that poised himself at attention near the door. "You heard Haruno. Do what you wish for the remainder of the day. I expect you to report back at 0600 tomorrow to resume your duties, understood?"
"Yes, Danzo-sama."
Torune bowed before he turned to leave the office, only noticing that Sakura wasn't going to follow him when he was halfway out. He looked over his shoulder questioningly and she returned the gesture with a bright smile and a small wave goodbye.
He could only nod- gratefully- and left with a small click of the door behind him.
Two minutes of silence passed before Danzo spoke.
"You had him cave in easier than I anticipated," he observed. Sakura sighed and plopped down into the chair in front of his desk.
"Yeah, it wasn't too hard. I just appealed to his better interests like anyone else would," she said as she rolled her neck. "And it worked. We got him both suspicious and curious, and it won't be long until he really starts wondering what I'm doing hanging around HQ like some loiterer. Is this part of your master plan?"
Danzo opened the top drawer of a file cabinet at the other end of the room and leafed through the folders.
"The operatives have to get used to you even before you're officially inducted," he explained. "It's to my knowledge you have a way of getting people to be at ease around you or you wouldn't have caught T&I's attention at such a young age."
"So you're acclimatizing them towards me."
"Virtually."
"Great. Why don't you just tattoo the words 'ROOT successor' to my forehead and call it a day. Really. I've been told I have a billboard brow so it'll get advertised well enough."
Danzo wasn't as receptive to her jokes as other people, so he merely took the folders he needed and sat back in his seat like he hadn't heard her.
"The only way for you to be drafted is for the Clans of Konoha to finally come to a decision about you. One more vote against and it'll be overturned. One more vote for and I'll turn in your paperwork," he told her. "So far, no one has moved to switch sides. If you're able to find a way to change one of their minds, I suggest you do so. Quickly."
He handed her the folders, allowing her to thumb through the papers inside. Torune's current duties were nothing too hard to sneak around and complete; checking the perimeter's protection seals, cataloging the birds at the aviary and make sure none had been tampered with, and scouring the village for any potential menaces. This shouldn't be too tiring for a day.
"Just remember that I'm not going to be here full time. I'm still going to be at T&I and I intend to keep up with my genin teammates like I'm doing now. I'm only here for your position, and once I have it, things are going to change. Quickly," she mimicked. She tucked the folders under her arm and met his piercing stare.
"And what makes you think you can instill these reforms in a short amount of time?"
Sakura huffed.
"Kakashi calls me a tyrant for a reason, councilman. I'll live up to that name one way or another," she said as she strode out of the office. "Have a nice rest of your day."
Danzo only settled against the back of his chair once she was long gone. Haruno Sakura was interesting sort of storm, he had to admit. The reason he selected her as his successor was not only for her unusual attitude, but also for the promise of skill she so inadvertently made a show of.
Take the Jounin Exams, for example. Becoming a jounin of Konoha wasn't set on display for the world to see like the Chuunin Exams were. This process was subtle, more on the Hokage's part to assess an individual if they expressed an interest in climbing the ranks and had recommendations from at least three different people.
Sakura had five: one from Morino Ibiki, one from Shiranui Genma, one from Mitarashi Anko, one from Yamanaka Inoichi, and one from Hyuuga Hiashi.
Danzo didn't know what to make of the sudden appearance of the clan heads in the equation. Inoichi he understood because of his place as her therapist, but Hiashi? The man never showed any concern for anything unless it was directly involved with the Hyuuga itself.
But she still had her nominations and thus her file was put under evaluation. Danzo imagined her promotion was one of the easiest decisions Dan had to make that day. Sakura had plenty off-the-record A and B-ranks (maybe an S-rank here or there) under her belt, six months experience as a T&I associate, and had proven time and time again just what she was capable of.
He'd be a fool not to give her that higher status. Though one had to be cautious when dealing with young prodigies like her, so the Hokage would probably wait out on the announcement of her advancement until the Chuunin Exams.
They were only four months away, after all.
::
Sakura let most of her body sink into the impossibly soft, unstructured brown chairs of the therapy room. Her feet were kicked up on one of the arm rests as she wrapped her arms around one of the threadbare pillows. Inoichi peered at her curiously.
They'd been having fewer session since her promotion to chuunin where they no longer met every Thursday, but on the third Thursday of every month. He supposed it would be easier to see the bigger changes the longer it was between each time they saw each other.
"You seem very relaxed," he noted slowly. "Did something in your schedule change? Oh, and congratulations on becoming a jounin, by the way."
"Thanks," she yawned. "Sorry. I've actually been getting more sleep lately. I guess I have Naruto to thank for that."
He scribbled something on his clipboard.
"What did Naruto-kun do?"
"He nudged me into getting a hobby to help me relax because apparently, studying doesn't count. I tried a few things and eventually settled on knitting. I think it's helped," she said. Inoichi tilted his head, somewhat surprised at her admission and that she'd actually found something to help her wind down.
"It looks like it helped. Knitting has a lot of beneficial properties, I'm sure you already know, and it appears to be doing you good. How often do you knit?"
Sakura gazed up the ceiling and counted the dots in the plaster.
"It depends when Kakashi's free. We knit at his apartment and keep all the yarn and stuff there 'cause I doubt the old man would appreciate more stuff at the house, so it's an easier set up for the both of us."
Obito looked up from the book he was reading four seats down. Inoichi decided to have him move closer and closer to her with each visit, through the change was made in small increments, until he was sat right at her side.
"Eh?!" he exclaimed. "Kakashi knits?!"
She tipped her head back to meet his shocked stare and offered a wobbly grin.
"We've been knitting sweaters for his ninken. I keep telling him to let Sasuke, Naruto, and I meet them, but he's convinced that we'd all join forces and undermine his authority or sometime stupid like that," she chuckled. The Uchiha laughed.
"Bakakashi's always been a paranoid bastard, but I see where he's coming from. The head of his pack- Pakkun, would probably jump on his case for not introducing his team to them sooner, so you'd definitely win."
Inoichi's pen slipped from his fingers as he looked back and forth between the two. She was attempting a conversation. Was engaging in said conversation. Had genuine comfortability, even if it was shaky. Wasn't sweating. Wasn't keeping her distance. Was light-hearted. Was keeping eye-contact.
Sakura looked carefully at her therapist.
"Everything okay, Inoichi-san?"
"Perfectly," he answered immediately, picking up his pen. "You were talking about Hatake-san's ninken?"
Her eyes brightened softly as she turned her head back towards Obito.
"Right, so you were saying that..."
Inoichi tried to brush off his bewilderment as he jotted down some notes.
Patient has made exponential progress since last visit. Half the goals set up have been achieved and all will most likely be met within the next five or so sessions.
He stopped, but as he saw Sakura's unease melt away as she listened to Obito speak, he wrote one last line before setting his clipboard aside.
She started to be kind to herself.
::
"So, funny story about how I'm going to do things," Sasori read aloud as he paced back and forth in his room at an inn in Grass Country. "I guess I didn't have the chance to tell you, but now that it's for sure in my documentation, I'm a hair's breadth away from becoming a ROOT operative. Or more specifically, Danzo's prime candidate in becoming his successor."
He stopped. Then re-read the passage. Then looked at the cat on his bed.
"Seriously?"
Kou flicked his tail.
"Seriously, nya."
Sasori pressed his fist against his forehead and took a breath before continuing with the rest of the letter.
"Remember when I told you he took the blame for the death of my parents but I caught him at his own game and unearthed the organization's true intention? Turns out he wants to dig ROOT's reputation out of the dust. I'm already infamous enough as it is, and if I take over what was once his at say, fifteen years old, it'll shake Konoha's foundations and I'll get the chance to start making the big changes. Dammit, I told her not to leave me out of stuff like this anymore! How rude," he sniffed. But this new plan was certainly going to put a whole new spin to things.
Hidan hadn't found much about Nagato. Not yet, anyways. The man was as elusive- and he quoted- 'as that damn Kyuubi brat in the other timeline. The fuck kind of bullshit is this?!'. He traveled as much as a wandering mock was imagined to, and even then word about Nagato was nearly impossible to catch.
If Sasori had to guess, it was that instead of actively seeking Nagato out, they'd have to sit back and wait for him to slip up on his own and have them find him that way. Be it in the next few months or the next few years, he didn't know. The three of them were thoroughly stumped.
He moved his attention back to the letter and read the last portion to himself.
--
Take care and don't do anything stupid.
~H.S.
--
"Don't do anything stupid?" he grumbled. "I should be the one saying that this time."
Unbelievable. The fifteen year old Sakura he first met would never do something as reckless as this. Then again, the twenty-three year old Sakura he'd met in the Void would jump at any chance to steer the world away from the future she'd seen at whatever the cost. He wished he could keep a better eye on her and keep her from doing downright stupid things at the risk of her life, but circumstances were circumstances. He could only spare a real visit once a month.
Still. It was incredibly inconsiderate of her to not let him in on her intent on being the new ROOT leader! He was pouting now all thanks to her keeping secrets.
Sasori had been in the middle of mumbling to himself when Kou suddenly ducked beneath one of the beds and the door opened, Orochimaru stepping in and peeling off his cloak.
"I finished scouting the man we're set to kill," he informed. His eyes immediately latched onto the paper in his partner's hands. "You received a missive?"
"From an informant in Tanigakure," Sasori lied. "The herbs I've been keeping an eye on have finally come in and they told me I should be expecting a shipment waiting for me in Ame in about a week."
"Hm. You've mentioned those before. Did you finish the poison we need for the mission?"
"Yup. Catch."
Sasori reached into his back pouch and tossed the vial of clear liquid somewhere behind him, not really caring if it was caught or not. It startled Orochimaru into motion as he darted forward to snatch it with his slender fingers. He glared exasperatedly at the man whose antics he really should be used to by now. Six-ish years had passed since Sasori's drastic turn in personality, yet he still couldn't find it in himself to think it was a sudden change of heart. There was something wrong in the transition and he'd been trying to uncover what exactly it was for years before eventually giving up and deeming it a lose cause.
But no matter. It wouldn't interfere with his plans anyways.
"I'm going to let you know now that my availability will be scarce after the coming three months," Orochimaru began. "I've already run this by Yahiko-sama and he's fine with it as long as my endeavors don't fall under the Akatsuki's responsibility, which I don't intend for it. I've already gathered enough people for my pursuit and I will be working with them to finalize my plan."
Sasori's eyebrows furrowed. The sannin then and now still had the incomprehensible dream of achieving immortality though this one had a more dilute desire for it, but it didn't make the threat any less real.
"Plan for what?"
Yellow eyes glimmered.
"Why, my siege on Konoha, of course. I expect at least one Uchiha to compete in this year's Chuunin Exams and it's about time for me to change bodies. The opportunity is almost too good not to take. You could join me, if you wish."
"Ah... no thanks. I think I'm busy then."
As Orochimaru shrugged and went to inspect the poison, Sasori tried his best not to groan and smash his head into the nearest wall.
Great.
Just... fantastic.
::
And here we have terrific pieces of artwork!
And Teukari123 !