Genma
With the Hokage’s orders not to speak with Sakura I did the next best thing. Whenever I was in the village and had free time I found her to make sure she was doing alright. I never bothered to mask my chakra, she’s five. There was very little chance she’d be able to sense let alone identify a person's chakra.
I was in a tree next to the old factory I first met the kid in front of, watching as Sakura sat and waited. I prayed to whatever God was out there that she wasn’t waiting for me, yet deep down I knew she was. I don’t think I’ve ever struggled with an order more than I did at that moment. She was so obviously sad and lonely.
I didn’t get a break from missions often/ and the whole Kagay seemed keen on send me out of the village. When I got the chance to stay in Kohona and take a break I always found myself doing the same thing. Hayate caught on first.
“You haven’t been to the bar much.” Technically, that was incorrect. I went every night after watching the kid. It just wasn’t as often or in the same manner as it used to be.
“I’ve been a little preoccupied.” What have I become?
“With what?” Following some pink-haired little girl?” When he said it like that it sounded pretty bad.
“Yes. Her name is Haruno Sakura and I just wanna make sure she’s doing okay.”
“Why not just go talk to her? If anyone sees you, they’ll think you’re stalking the little girl.”
“Hokage ordered me not to.”
“Why?”
“Hell if I know. None of it really makes any sense.”
“That’s why you’re following her. To figure it out.”
“For the most part. She waits in the spot we met every day, that's the most common place. I find her if she’s not home or at the library.”
“Interesting.”
Just like that Hayate joined me in watching the kid. I don't know what prompted him to stay. He knew basically nothing about her. They showed up every time and waited quietly with me.
Kakashi and Guy found us next. We were crouched outside the library, watching the kid through the window as she browsed books about the Academy.
“I think she’s a little young for you, Genma.”
“Why’d you guys assume that I’m the one who started this and not that Hayate conned me into helping him.”
“This just screams you.” Thanks Kakashi.
“Hayate, it is very youthful of you to help Genma with his lady problems!” Why is Guy always so loud?
“ I never pegged you two as ones to stalk children.”
“Shut up Kakahi.”
“Yeah, Genma’s the one who’s met the kid. I’m just here to keep him out of trouble.” I’m going to kill Hayate.
“She’s five. And honestly I was watching the kid because I want to make sure she’s okay. She has no friends and her parents are never in the village. I’d talk to her but the Hokage ordered me not to. He seems to want to keep Sakura close to the village for some unknown reason. I don’t know why Hayate is here watching her. As he said, he’s never even met her.” Karma's a bitch.
“I find the mystery around this girl. Interesting. I mean it caught Gemma’s attention.”
“YOSH! How youthful! I shall run 500 laps around the village for all of this youthfulness!” Man, Guy going really tires me out. At least he’s decided to run those laps and I’ll be gone for a while. He was drawing some much unneeded attention.
“I notice that Hayate is masking his chakra yet you’re not.” don’t nod along Hayate. Egging Kakashi on never does anything good.
“Yes well, if by some magical chance, the kid and since my chakra I don’t mind I want her to know I’m here. She probably thinks she did something wrong and that’s why I’m staying away when I finally get to talk to her and I wanna be able to make sure she knows I did what I could, however Hayate still chooses to not only watch a little girl he’s never met, but also mask is chakra while doing so.” Take that.
“I see.” Kakashi, often a man of few words.
“Hey! No, hold up! I’m here because I’m trying to figure out why the Hokage ordered Genma to stay away from Sakura; when I went to the public records and looked up the Harunos it all said classified. I’m assuming that has to do with the Hokage’s orders but now I’m trying to figure out what’s so special about a little pink haired civilian girl. Genma won’t tell me anything and I don’t want to end up on the Hokage’s list of ‘people who can’t be in the village at the moment’ like Ganma so I’m trying to figure it out from a distance. She knows when Genma is near. She always looks his way within movements of him arriving and multiple times while he is within her vicinity. I don’t want to confuse her with my chakra too; I only follow her with Genma.” At least now I know why he’s been watching her with me. “I think the kid has potential. From what I’ve seen she’s smart and can identify some chakra signatures.” So Hayate picked up on it too.
“Interesting.” Stupid Kakashi.
Kakashi didn’t join us often, too busy with his suicide missions and failing every genin the Hokage tried to give him, but when he did, it always prove to be interesting.Like Hayate, Kakashi masked his chakra. Unlike Hayate, Kakashi would randomly flare his chakra in varying amounts and hmm at the kid's reaction. It was one of those days I learned of the kids upcoming entrance ceremony. She asked the librarian if it was okay her parents weren’t going with her. She let out a sigh of relief before walking away.
I found myself requesting the week of the opening ceremony off from active duty. I told my jonin commander, Nara Shikaku, that I thought I needed a break, and that I had some personal reasons both completely true. He said it took me off active duty, who knew being on the third’s list of ‘keep out of the village’ could do some good.
A few days later, I was standing in the shadow of the ceremony watching and supporting Sakura from a distance. Hayate and Kakashi we’re both out on missions. The kid looked just as bored and uninterested as Shikaku’s kid. Crap. I forgot Shikaku’s sun was entering too. I’m glad I was already masking my chalk, red hopes to not get caught by the Hokage.
She was put in Iruka’s class. Good he would treat her fair. There’s a lot of clan Harris this year. Poor kid got put in a class with all of them.
It probably wasn’t my best decision to stay after the Hokage dismissed everyone but I wanted to see what she was going to do. Soccer was making her way to the Nine Tail holder, a hero to the village. At least he should be. Yet people kept stopping her. I moved to get a better view of the kid, when she suddenly turned my way. Shit. I had to move. I can't get caught by Sakura or the Hokage. Fuck, I knew this was a bad idea. I was almost to the gate. I could do this.
“What a surprise I never expected to see you here, Genma.” Shit, shit, shit.
“Hello Shikaku-San.”
“Tell me one thing, what are you doing here?”
Fuck. “Well you see sir…”
“Want to know something interesting? I've been hearing some rather intriguing rumors.” Rumors? “People are saying there are three jonin men following a pink haired little girl around the village for months, and they seem to fit the description of three of my best jonin.” Could this get any fucking worse? “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that would you?”
“Well sir…”
“Because there happens to be a young pink haired girl here, what a coincidence.”
“Her name is Haruno Sakura sir. I’m sure you knew that already though. She’s a civilian and yes, I’ve been watching her but I’ve met her before we’ve conversed and she’s a good kid. Hayate and Kakashi are trying to figure out the mystery behind her too. It’s just difficult with the Hokage’s strange orders to stay away.”
“ Am I correct to assume that’s why you’re running from her; you’re hiding from the Hokage which leads you to trying to escape without using any chakra.”
“ Yes, sir.”
“ I suppose I’ll see you at the end if you leave then. Good day Genma.”
I found her again in the park not on purpose. She was running and covered in cuts, and bruises as some older girls laughed while Sakura fled. My blood boiled. She wasn’t clumsy. She was being physically bullied. I went to follow.
“Genma.” What’s Shikaku doing here?” “ I don’t know what has you looking so angry, but we’ve been summoned to the Hokage’s office.”
“Yes sir.”
I wasn’t worried as we approached the Hokage tower, at least not until we entered. The first thing I noticed was Hayate and Kakashi standing in front of the Hokage. It was at that moment that I knew we were screwed.
“I thought I ordered you to stay away from and not talk to Haruno Sakura. Yet I am hearing rumors about three men matching yours, Hayate’s and Kakashi’s descriptions, following and watching her. These rumors flying as far back as February when I first gave said order. Not only have you disobeyed a direct order from your Hokage but you’ve dragged two of your comrades into it as well. Tell me why I shouldn’t charge you with treason.” Well fuck.
“Hokage-Sama. As far as I’m aware Ganma never disobeyed orders, not once did he talk to or interact with the young miss Haruno. Watching from a distance is not against any given orders. On top of that Hayate and Kakashi weren’t given any such orders; yet as far as I’ve heard, neither of them ever interacted with her.” The three of us quickly nodded in agreement. “Also, unless you wish to explain to us what exactly makes the Harunos so special that you’d charge three of your own shinobi with treason for watching out for her, I promise you will lose the favor of the Nara clan.” Shit, that was a big threat coming from Shikaku.
“Is that a threat Nara-San?”
“No Hokage-Sama. I’m just saying that if a civilian girl can get a jonin tried for treason without anyone, but you knowing why I don’t think the Nara clan can put our faith and trust in you.” This man has balls of steel.
“Just stay away from the Harunos. I don’t want any of you to cause this situation harm.” He didn’t want ME to cause any harm.
“You mean like the girls who were beating her and throwing rocks and sticks at her a few hours ago. All I got was a glimpse of the kid and I could see nothing but blood cuts and bruises! How could they think she was only clumsy? The wounds are not the cause of clumsiness.”
“Kids get in fights Genma. He saw her once keep your distance. All of you dismissed.”
I never thought I’d ever feel this kind of hate for my Hokage.