Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Sakura’s eyes cracked open and a fresh wave of pain coursed through her body. A cool stone floor greeted her hands as she felt beyond the thin futon she’d been placed on. A scratching noise reached her ears and Sakura squinted, trying to peer through the gloom that surrounded her to find the noise. Her eyes quickly adjusted as she focused just a bit of chakra into her body, her kidnappers having failed to do anything to prevent her from reaching for her power.
A definitive click echoed through the cell, at least to Sakura’s now enhanced hearing and she saw a steel door ahead of her slowly get pushed open. A girl, perhaps nine years old, maybe ten, was standing in the revealed hallway as dim light poured into the room. She was wearing mail armor that covered her from her neck down, extending over her arms and legs to her elbows and knees respectively. The steel didn’t make a sound as she moved, which Sakura knew even Tajima couldn’t manage so it had to be a seal of some kind.
“Hey, be quiet we’re escaping!” The girl whispered, her short, dark purple hair reminding her vaguely of Madara’s own dark blue and instantly Sakura felt like she could trust the girl. Pushing off the covers slowly, without making any noise, Sakura crossed the cell and saw the girl’s face crumble into obvious relief. “There is one other kid we have to grab, well only one other alive.”
“Okay,” Sakura whispered back and the two immediately began moving down the hallway. Empty cells lined the wall and Sakura had to wonder exactly how many kids had been here. She couldn’t really imagine why such a place existed or rather how such a place had been allowed to exist. She was still within Konohagakure, of that she felt strangely certain. She hadn’t been carried long enough to leave the city and she had first met the Serpent in the library after all.
“We’re almost there,” the girl’s voice was soft, barely audible as they rounded a corner and began to head down a flight of stairs. A distant rumble shook the floor and both children paused, muscles going taught as adrenaline began to spill into their veins. An alarm began to wail, the sound deafening in volume and suddenly the older girl broke into a sprint.
“What’s happening?” Sakura shouted, bare feet pounding over stone, chakra keeping her safe from bruises though her skin was still getting roughed up. The older girl glanced back at her, eyes nervous before she looked forward. Sakura could tell the older girl had done something, there was a brief flash of guilt and then steely resolve that had crossed her eyes before she’d looked back towards their destination.
“I informed the ANBU.” The girl replied, her voice thick with emotion. Even while sprinting and full of adrenaline, Sakura could see the older girl’s shoulders quaking. “I betrayed my shishou. I couldn’t take it anymore, what he was doing.” The girl explained before she ducked into a side room. The walls were lined with glass jars containing various organs and countless eyes.
A sharp, biting smell reached Sakura’s nose, it was almost sweet, yet it burned her nostrils and sickened her stomach. A panicky tug on her surgical gown pulled Sakura forward and she found herself being lead towards a steel table much like the one she’d been placed on after her arrival. In the back of her mind, Inner whimpered, her other self still shaken and in pain from taking on the trauma for Sakura. For just a heartbeat, Sakura felt like it was all a trick, that this girl had lead her into a trap. Then she saw the boy on the table, his eyes open but utterly blank.
“Come on, help me get him free.” The girl hissed and Sakura jerked forward, fingers scrabbling over one of the leather straps as she tried to get the buckles loose. A wave of explosions rocked the underground complex and dust fell from the ceiling, showering the children as they worked. The boy didn’t even react, his dead black eyes fixed on the pipes overhead.
After a painfully long struggle, Sakura got the boy’s arm free and found that the other girl had already finished the rest. The older girl gave her a nod and Sakura noticed the hitai-ate on her forehead that had been mostly hidden by her purple bangs. The ringing of steel echoed into the room from the hall and a furious exchange of blows soon followed. Sakura knew those noises and quickly looked around for a hiding spot.
“Come on!” Sakura whispered desperately and dragged the boy off the table. The other girl helped and soon they found themselves cowering behind a large tube filled with dark emerald liquid. In the dim light it was opaque enough to hide their bodies from view and they got behind it just in time as the Serpent walked into the room. He was wearing his jounin uniform, the green flack jacket splattered with blood and his inky black hair wild.
Golden eyes flickered over the room and Sakura held her breath as the girl beside her trembled. Reaching out, she grabbed the other girl’s hand and gave it a silent squeeze. The Serpent’s head snapped in their direction, a low rumbling laugh slipping from his lips as he took a step forward. A soft whimper escape from the older girl’s throat and Sakura knew the snake had heard it as an ugly grin parted his pale lips, revealing his perfectly straight teeth, his canines elongated like a snake’s.
“Anko-chan, after all I’ve taught you, you betray me like this?” The Snake’s words gave name to the purple haired girl currently curled into herself. Anko’s grip on Sakura’s hand was crushing and she was shivering violently as the Serpent took another step forward.
“Orochimaru-shishou, I had to. I had to.” Anko whispered and the man hummed his disapproval. It was a jarringly normal, calm sound despite the screeching sirens and the continuous explosions echoing through the complex. Somehow, Sakura felt they were within a bubble, that the outside world might as well not exist for all it would effect the occupants of this room and the events that would soon unfold.
“Oh Anko, the only thing you ever have to do is listen to me. Didn’t I teach you that?” Orochimaru crooned, fingers coming together to form a seal that Sakura didn’t recognize. A moment later Anko shivered and then let out a strangled gasp as burning orange marks spread over her skin. The kunoichi’s breaths came in sharp, desperate gasps as her fingers curled into fists and her eyes squeezed shut. “Now Anko, be a good girl and grab Sakura-chan for me. We’re leaving.”
Sakura watched with horrified fascination as the markings cooled into black flames and Anko’s eyes opened to reveal black sclera and golden irises. The girl’s entire face was flushed under the ink and her pupils were blown wide by whatever Orochimaru had done. The girl moved before Sakura could react, gripping her tightly and Sakura twisted, bringing an elbow down on the girl’s back. The blow was weak, devoid of chakra and Anko didn’t even notice it.
“Stop! Weren’t you going to save us?!” Sakura shrieked and felt Anko still, the tension leaving the older girl’s muscles. Sakura squirmed free and then pried one of Anko’s fists open, squeezing the hand tight as she met the kunoichi’s now golden eyes. Anko’s chest began to heave as she hyperventilated, tremors running through her before she turned on Orochimaru and snarled.
“No! I can’t shishou! I can’t listen to you anymore!” Anko screamed and Orochimaru clicked his tongue angrily. The man took another step forward then froze, eyes narrowing in displeasure. Sakura was so focused on her tiny bubble she missed the arrival of a bear masked ANBU wearing a white cloak. Behind him, the full force of the black ops followed, unseen by the children but not unnoticed by the Serpent.
“Orochimaru, surrender immediately.” Bear ordered and the sannin let out an amused chuckle. Sakura’s head snapped from watching Anko and Orochimaru to the newcomers and she felt a brief flutter of hope. Sakura knew what was going to happen next though. There was no way the snake would surrender, his chakra was a corrosive, burning thing and full of confidence. It seemed to almost bask in finally being discovered, joyful in the face of the violence promised by the ANBU’s arrival.
“If you want to stop me, you’ll need to bring the Hokage himself Bear-sama.” Orochimaru crooned and then shifted to face the ANBU.
A wave of silence fell over the room, silencing all the thoughts in Sakura’s mind. A man was standing next to the bear masked ANBU in a black shinobi uniform she knew marked a member of the Sarutobi clan. A pressure fell upon everything in the area, intense and smothering, choking. Sakura felt her knees give out and she hardly felt the impact with the stone floor as Anko crumbled next to her. Her lungs stuttered and jerked, unable to draw breath under the sheer presence of the Sandaime Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
“Orochimaru, what have you done?” Hiruzen’s voice was tired, worn down by time and trauma. It was the voice of a defeated soul, one that had seen too much and had been broken by the burdens they carried. The pressure grew so great that Sakura’s vision danced with spots and her chest felt like it had been caved in. Beside her, Anko was choking, saliva dripping from her chin and Sakura realized she wasn’t any better off.
“Hiruzen-sensei,” Orochimaru purred, cocking his head and smirking at the hokage. The serpent kept his entire body relaxed but his eyes betrayed the tension that had suddenly settled within him. “I’m just doing what you ordered. All of this is what you asked for. Stronger soldiers, new jutsu, better tools.”
“Enough!” Hiruzen’s voice was deathly quiet, yet it fell like thunder upon Sakura’s ears. Her head rang and she knew everyone else felt the same. Even Orochimaru stilled, briefly intimidated by the elder man’s sheer power. The snake could not stand for such a thing however and his poisonous chakra spilled out in a sudden, explosive burst.
Chakra danced through Sakura’s senses, sudden eruptions of colored power that made her head throb. Sakura’s eyes squeezed shut, but that did nothing to dull her chakra sense as the fight moved beyond her ability to process. The concrete floor shattered as a jutsu molded it into a weapon and stone fragments whistled through the air, tearing apart the glass tubes and vials that lined the walls. Cold, slimy fluid that smelled of cut plants doused Sakura from head to do as the tube the three children were hiding behind exploded in a shower of glass.
Flames, white hot lit up the darkness behind Sakura’s eyelids and she felt the heat turn the skin facing the jutsu light pink as if sunburned. Immediately after the heat faded there was a horrid squelching sound, metal being forced through flesh and bone followed by a panicked shout and then utter silence. The choking, toxic chakra of the serpent lingered, even as Orochimaru’s signature vanished from the room. Terrified, Sakura forced her eyes to open just a crack and was greeted by the sight of an utterly devastated laboratory.
Bits of paper fluttered through the air, aflame and providing ample light to see the shattered glass vials and organs strewn about the floor. Three ANBU were dead on the ground, one little more then a human shaped pile of charcoal. The Hokage looked uninjured, but he was clearly shaken, his eyes distant as he stood frozen in place, head tilted slightly backwards as he stared blankly up at the ceiling.
“Sir there are survivors.” The ANBU that Orochimaru had called Bear-sama said quietly and Hiruzen’s eyes slid closed, his expression smoothing out before he looked over towards Sakura’s little group. Anko was twitching on the ground, her hand clawing at her shoulder while the boy was sprawled over the ground, eyes open and his entire body shivering violently. Sakura was the only one of the three who had managed to hold onto some semblance of awareness and she met the Hokage’s eyes.
“I see, get them to the hospital.” Hiruzen ordered and Sakura tensed briefly as the ANBU approached. She could remember the blank masked shinobi, so much like the ANBU but different somehow, in a way she couldn’t exactly place. Strong hands gently lifted her off the stone ground and she met warm brown eyes that watched her from behind a bone white mask.
“It’s going to be okay kid,” a gentle voice told her and Sakura fought back a sob. Her hands latched onto the fabric breastplate the ANBU was wearing and the world blurred around them. Several shunshins carried them out of the tunnels and across Konohagakure to the hospital.
***
After a battery of checks and exams, including being looked at by a Hyuga and an Uchiha, Sakura found herself sitting in a hospital room with the ANBU who had carried her from the laboratory. The man’s shoulder length brown hair was tied back into a short ponytail at the center of his head and Sakura could feel his eyes on her.
“Um, can I help you?” Sakura asked, feeling worlds removed from her brief but terrifying kidnapping. She didn’t know how to explain it, but somehow the whole thing felt almost dreamlike. Inner had likely helped with that, absorbing much of the pain they had experienced but even so Sakura felt calm. Perhaps it was because she’d been able to see Madara and Tajima and knew she would be rescued.
“I’m here to help you kid. Honestly I was expecting more of a freak out, you know tears and stuff.” The ANBU replied, his tone light but concerned. The man absentmindedly ran a hand over his hair and Sakura could feel his chakra cycling through his body constantly. Slowly, she pushed herself upright and walked over to the man who watched her the entire time.
“Hug?” Sakura asked and raised her arms to the ANBU who froze solid before he slowly lowered himself and gave her a hug. Sakura took a stuttering breath as she felt his arms wrap around her and suddenly she was crying into his shoulder. She’d been terrified and even though Tajima had promised, she just couldn’t bring herself to fully believe she would escape. Wordless sobs pulled themselves from her lips, each one painful in its intensity and Sakura soon drifted off into an uneasy sleep, her mind and chakra already barreling backwards through time.
***
Madara was beginning to dread the mornings. He had hardly opened his eyes when Sakura tackled him into a hug, sobbing into his chest. Instinctively, he pulled her into a tight hug, eyes searching her for injuries only to find no signs of the wounds she’d had the previous day. That was strange, in fact it was outright bizarre but she was a tennyo or perhaps a friendly youkai if such beings existed so Madara didn’t dwell on it. He was just grateful she appeared unharmed.
“Sakura, what happened?” Madara asked and Sakura sniffled, her eyes turning up to meet his, tears still leaking from the corners.
“I got rescued,” Sakura’s voice was rough and her words should have been a relief yet she broke down into sobs.
“That’s a good thing right? Come on, you’re safe now right?” Madara asked and Sakura nodded her head against his chest. Her pink hair was damp from being washed and smelled almost fruity, though there was an artificial bite to the scent that clung to her that Madara had never experienced before. “Come on, let’s get you dried off and dressed alright? We can train today, take your mind off it.”
“I’d like that,” Sakura warbled and Madara quickly guided his best friend to the dresser. Her clothes were once again those strange one piece outfits with nothing underneath and Madara quickly gathered a set of training clothes for her. Once they were dressed, Sakura had calmed down and Madara lent her his hand as they walked down to the dinning room.
“Ma-ni!” Izuna cheered and ran across the room, his arms wrapping around Madara’s waist. “Ma-ni! Mornin!”
“Good morning Izuna,” Madara gave his brother’s head an affectionate pat. Sakura giggled slightly to his side and a glance showed she was smiling. It was a relief, to see her returning to her usual self. The children quickly took their places as the servants brought food out for them. Before the started to eat, Tajima walked in looking tired and stressed though he hid it well. “Chichiue.”
“Chounan,” Tajima replied and took his seat. His eyes moved to Sakura who gave him a nervous smile and Madara watched his father realize the girl was uninjured. “The healers in your homeland are quite talented.”
“Yes, I was thinking about learning…” Sakura’s voice trailed off and Madara had to wonder why she’d be nervous about learning medicine. If she could heal, she’d be able to save countless lives. It was one of the most honorable careers one could have, yet Sakura seemed almost afraid of pursuing it now that she’d voiced the idea.
“You’re worried you’ll be kept away from the fighting.” Tajima guessed and Sakura gave a guilty nod. Madara took in a sharp breath because he hadn’t even considered that. He knew healers were important and that they rarely went to the front lines but he hadn’t thought that would include Sakura. To his mind, she would heal and fight beside him, because where else would she be? “I will admit, that would be the most efficient use of a healer however I will not force you to stay behind. You are here for a reason and I will not stand in the way of that.”
“What reason?” Madara asked before he could stop himself. Tajima’s eyes moved to him slowly, world weariness visible within the graying pools of his gaze. Madara felt suddenly nervous, as if he had asked a question he didn’t truly want an answer to.
“She is here because the gods will it. You both needed a friend, a companion and so you were brought together to meet. I believe it is a blessing and you two will help each other through the trials that are to come.” Tajima’s explanation felt somewhat lacking but Madara wasn’t sure how.
Still, it gave him something to think over. The Kami had willed Sakura’s presence here, which also confirmed they were real. He had felt that surge of power, that energy pulsing through the earth and air before her arrival and he still felt echoes of it whenever she appeared. It was clear it wasn’t a natural phenomenon but Madara knew his father understood more then he was saying. After all he had looked into Sakura’s mind with his sharingan and seen her memories and world. Did that mean Tajima knew what the heavens looked like? Madara didn’t know and he decided against asking, instead turning his attention to his breakfast.
When everyone had finished their meals, Madara soon found himself following Tajima out of the castle’s gates and across the rice fields. The day was peaceful, with little for the farmers to do as harvest was still two months away. The heat was oppressive and Madara welcomed the shade of the forest as they left the fields and jumped into the trees, hoping from branch to branch with Tajima leading the way. At his side, Sakura followed, keeping up with an ease that spoke of intense practice and while both Madara and the rosette occasionally over or undershot their jumps, neither were in danger of crashing through the canopy and colliding with the ground below.
“We’ll stop here.” Tajima stated suddenly and the two children came to rest on branches, watching the man as he reached into a pack tied to his waist and began to retrieve wooden kunai and shuriken. Madara knew such weapons weren’t particularly common, due to the prevalence of armor. Still, they were used, alongside senbon and it was clear they were about to get a hands on lesson. “You two need to learn how to avoid taking hits. Armor is a last line of defense, when everything else you could have done to avoid the blow fails or you have no better option. Armor can and likely will save your life but it must not be relied upon.”
“You two have managed to learn how to move through the trees fairly well but the Senju are at home in the forests of Hi. They are masters of acrobatic combat and prefer fighting in vertical landscapes such as cities and heavily forested areas. We cannot always force them to meet us on open ground or on the battlements of a fortress so it is crucial you learn how to move, dodge and function in such an environment.” Tajima lectured and Madara couldn’t stop the grin from spreading on his cheeks as his father handed him a holster filled with training weapons. Madara quickly strapped the holster to his belt while Sakura did the same. Meeting his father’s gaze, Madara could see the approval in those graying eyes and Tajima gave him a small nod.
“You two will be playing a game, who can score more hits on the other with those training weapons.” Tajima said and smiled as the two kids looked at each other. Sakura was clearly nervous but excited, a shy grin tugging at her lips as she looked into Madara’s eyes.
Madara reached into his pouch and pulled out a wooden shuriken. The edges weren’t sharp enough to cut but they would certainly leave bruises. Sakura did the same, withdrawing a kunai in one hand and three shuriken held between her fingers in the other. She seemed more familiar with the weapons, which was a surprise but he knew she was training back home.
“Begin!” Tajima called out, a smile on his face and Madara threw his star and dropped down from his branch. Sakura sidestepped the attack and launched her shuriken, the wood whizzing through the air towards Madara who latched onto a tree trunk and diverted his fall, avoiding the attack. From there things quickly spiraled out of control as the two children emptied the pouches as they tried to land a blow.
“Alright, go pick up your weapons and then continue.” Tajima called out when it was obvious neither Madara or Sakura had anything left to fight with. Both children were grinning ear to ear and breathing hard from bouncing through the trees. Tajima allowed himself a small smile as he helped them gather up the shuriken and kunai before setting them back to their practice. Madara’s progress had increased with his new training partner and Sakura was catching up thanks to the training she received in her own time. It was a good thing to, as heir to the clan or not Tajima couldn’t keep Madara from the battlefield once he turned five. The boy wouldn’t be sent into the fighting but that didn’t mean the fighting wouldn’t come to him.
Madara noticed the sudden drop in his father’s mood and nearly caught a kunai to the face for his trouble. Sakura was surprisingly accurate with the things and handled them with familiarity which was odd since they weren’t particularly common weapons. Senbon were more common then the diamond shaped knives and yet Sakura had clearly had training with them. Ducking another volley of shuriken, Madara’s lips twitched into a smile. It didn’t bother him at all that Sakura was better then him at this, he’d catch up and then turn the tables on her the moment she got cocky.
***
Hiruzen sat behind his desk with a frown on his weathered face. Across from him was his long time rival and political adversary, Shimura Danzo. The men had once been friends, at least Hiruzen thought they’d been friends. In truth, that could have just been wishful thinking for all they seemed to agree on things these days. Smoke slowly spiraled from Hiruzen’s pipe as the silence between the two relics deepened. They were the same age, both well past their prime and holdovers from an age long past. Hiruzen knew that though and accepted it while Danzo wished to stop the clock and turn back the hands of time.
“You cannot have her. The civilians need a hero, unless you’d rather give them concessions?” Hiruzen asked, face unflinching as Danzo scoffed. The other man should know that even civilians could prove dangerous. They worked the fields, made the shuriken and kunai, kept the power on and the water flowing. Push too hard and the entire village would grind to a halt.
It had happened before, during the Nidaime’s reign, when Tobirama had tried to limit the number of civilians who could enroll in the academy. The second test given by the jounen sensei was created as a compromise, though the practice of separating civilian born and clan kids onto different teams had created new political fault lines that were threatening to boil over once more. Sakura was the answer to that, a civilian prodigy would go a long way in mollifying ruffled feathers.
“I can ensure her success. My training program is the best in the village.” Danzo rasped and Hiruzen closed his eyes, silently praying for patience. The war hawk didn’t bother to hide his annoyance over the topic as he glared at Hiruzen. Danzo looked at his own hokage like an enemy, a threat to be eliminated. “If she was traumatized by her kidnapping then she will need the conditioning that Root can provide.”
“If she was traumatized. Otherwise, she will follow the same track as Kakashi. He chose to join Root and I did not stop him. If you can convince her to join without genjutsu I will consider allowing it but you cannot make her one of your mindless drones. The civilian council will be keeping a close eye on her and her parents have the Daimyo’s ear.” Hiruzen’s words hung between the two men for several long seconds. For a moment, it looked like Danzo was going to argue but instead he gave a nod, a pleased smile tugging at the scars on his chin.
***
Sakura walked into the academy with her heart in her throat. Her hair was freshly cut, her bangs just barely out of her eyes and the rest of her hair equally short so it wouldn’t ever block her sight. Her green eyes peaked out from just below the uneven pink curtain as her hair formed spikes, though unlike Madara’s they fell around her head rather then standing on end.
Her clothes were new as well, armored toe-less boots, practical black cargo pants that had been recommended by Hideki along with a sturdy dark red shinobi grade t-shirt with the Haruno circle on the back, made from strong, breathable fabric, underneath which she wore a mesh shirt. The backs of her hands and forearms were protected by segmented gauntlets made from steel, which was far more protective then the mesh which wouldn’t even stop a kunai. Sakura was proud of her new outfit, it wasn’t up to the standards of the Uchiha but for a modern shinobi it was quite professional.
The hallways of the academy were full of students as Sakura had arrived before classes began and immediately she could feel eyes on her. Curious kids of various ages stared openly, her bright pink hair attracting attention like a magnet. So far nobody had whispered Chigiri but she hadn’t spoken yet, her mouth was firmly closed and that wasn’t going to change until it had to.
Reaching the classroom she’d been assigned, Sakura opened the door and walked in. A few other students were present and Sakura quickly took a seat, ignoring the stares aimed her way. Fortunately, it was the first day of class and Sakura assumed this was a new class. The students were all older then her though, significantly so.
“Um, are you supposed to be here?” A gentle voice drew Sakura’s attention to a girl with lightly tanned skin, dark brown hair and onyx eyes. She looked somewhat like an Uchiha, though it was obvious she was of mixed heritage.
“I was told to report to this classroom after I finished my academy entrance exams.” Sakura had taken the tests at home with Hideki and a chunin from academy grading her performance. Apparently she’d done well this probably wasn’t a class full of first years.
“Oh, you’re like Itachi-kun then.” The girl said thoughtfully, a slightly worried frown tugging her lips downwards. Her chakra wriggled with anxiety and Sakura was surprised to find that she lacked any hint of the usual fire that burned within the core of every Uchiha she’d ever met. It peaked her interest and Sakura stood up and gathered her courage.
“Can I sit with you?” It was a bold question and Sakura knew the girl had noticed her teeth. Instead of flinching away or throwing insults, the Uchiha simply smiled, her eyes scrunching up slightly as she did so. It was a cute expression and Sakura felt strange as she watched the older girl nod, the same kind of strange she felt occasionally when Madara laughed with her.
“Of course! I’m Uchiha Izumi,” Izumi offered a hand to Sakura who took it and gave it a shake. Izumi’s palms were covered with calluses and her knuckles were equally worn down. It was obvious the girl was a taijutsu fanatic and Sakura felt another surge of bravado grip her.
“I’m Haruno Sakura, would you like to be my friend and train together?” The question was a combination of what she had asked Madara and what he had asked of her. To be fair, she’d seen it work before and Madara was an Uchiha so she hoped it would work here. Izumi blinked, surprised by the sudden question before she let out a delighted laugh.
“Well I’ll certainly give you a chance but I don’t like people who are rude or bully others. I especially don’t like those who jump to conclusions without giving people a fair chance.” Izumi stated and nodded to herself before raising an eyebrow and looking at Sakura. “Okay?”
“Okay,” Sakura agreed, relieved that she hadn’t blown her first interaction at the academy. Of course, interacting with Izumi had drawn attention and a quick glance showed the curious looks had mostly transitioned into glares. Sakura knew a few kids had likely seen her teeth but the rest hadn’t and she hadn’t heard any whispers of Chigiri yet. Beside her, Izumi was frowning and oddly resigned, as if she was used to this. “Um, do people not like you?”
“People don’t like Uchiha.” Izumi replied quietly and Sakura’s eyes widened. The Uchiha were a founding clan and the civilians or at least the nobles all held them in high esteem. The Haruno clan had nothing but good things to say about them and they ran the military police force that kept the village safe and relatively free of crime. To dislike the Uchiha was to dislike Konohagakure itself, at least to Sakura’s eyes. “You didn’t know?”
“People don’t like me so,” Sakura shrugged and then took a deep breath. She was five now and after months of spending time and receiving encouragement from Madara she knew how to be brave. Perhaps not all the time but no conversation would scare her or at least no conversation without choking chakra and crushing killing intent. “I like the Uchiha, well at least all the ones I’ve met so you and Shisui.”
“Oh yeah, I think Shisui did mention a little pink haired girl who kept running into him.” Izumi said thoughtfully, tapping her chin and leaning back in her seat. She looked over Sakura with a slight frown, silently hoping the girl wouldn’t end up like Itachi. He was her best friend when they were little but ever since he graduated, he’d grown distant and quiet. His onyx eyes were haunted, by what Izumi couldn’t say though she could guess. Fugaku and Mikoto demanded far too much of their eldest.
“Yeah that was me. He’s silly and his chakra is warm.” Sakura still couldn’t shake just how strong of a first impression Shisui’s chakra had left on her. It had been so bright and surprisingly free from the hatred and anguish that seemed to cling to the Uchiha she knew in the past. There was something genuinely good about him as if it was a core part of his very being.
“You’re a sensor?” Izumi asked curiously, her eyes flashing with excitement. Sakura gave the older girl a nod and Izumi’s grin grew notably wider. “And you’re a civilian born so your sensing comes from chakra control right?”
“Yes,” Sakura answered, wondering where Izumi was going with this. The girl looked absolutely ecstatic, as if Sakura had just informed her that she’d won the lottery. It was decidedly rather un-Uchiha of her as Uchiha grew so used to controlling their negative emotions they accidentally clamped down on their own positive reactions as well.
“Perfect! Better then perfect, I have chakra control in the 94th percentile! I’ve got some ideas on how to use that and I need someone to practice with!” Izumi chattered excitedly and Sakura couldn’t help but smile at the older girl’s enthusiasm. Izumi was just as nice as Shisui and while her chakra was cold, like a blizzard, it certainly wasn’t hostile, just jarring in its temperature, force and ferocity.
“Well anyone who trains with me has to be my friend so I guess that makes us friend, Izumi-chan.” Sakura stated as if it was already a done deal. Izumi flashed her an amused smile, no hint of rejection on her face as she nodded in agreement. Sakura’s stomach did a few happy flips as the teacher walked in and shouted down the room before pulling out the clipboard to take attendance. When he reached Sakura’s name, she didn’t even feel nervous as she answered despite the looks sent her way. She’d made another friend and that made joining the academy early entirely worth it.