A/N: fifth instalment of the Italian saga, after "Incontro La Squadra". It's not strictly indispensable to read the others first, but it surely helps.
And thanks for your reviews :-) the operation went well, thankfully, but I'm confined to bed for a while.
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In the following weeks, team Alpha trained hard.
The ANBU captain wanted nothing but the best. He wanted them to understand and trust each other completely.
Therefore, they had worked on everything. Teamwork, sealing techniques, normal techniques, hiding, tracking, and so on.
Itachi also observed how they acted when he gave orders. He wanted to reach the point when they would trust his – and their – decisions completely.
They met for squad training every other day, when they didn't have any missions. The other days weren't free, because often they had to train in one specific field in which they lacked something or had some weakness.
But they were learning to work together with incredible speed. More than once Itachi thought with satisfaction that he had made a good decision when he had asked Haruno Sakura to join his squad.
Only once there had been a little incident. After training, Shisui had made a comment about one of Itachi's formations they had to try, saying that, being a woman, Sakura should not be so exposed. He had also called her 'little kitten'.
At hearing that, a sudden killing aura had invaded the training ground.
Sakura, with voice deceptively and sickeningly sweet, had said, "Taichou, don't you agree with me that Shisui and I should train a little more together?"
Itachi hadn't changed expression when he had given his approval, but his eyes had betrayed his amusement.
Shisui hadn't been able to do anything but gulp.
The next half an hour, for Itachi and Genma at least, had been spent in observing with interest how Shisui's face got acquainted with Sakura's fists and with the training ground.
After a while, the pink-haired woman had also begun to emphasize each punch with a word. "You-are-never-to-imply-that-a-woman-is-weak-again!" she had yelled.
After that event, all three men of the squad had been more careful around the medic.
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On one of the days when they were 'free', Sakura met her captain at the same tempura restaurant in which she had met him before, when he had asked her to join his team. The encounter wasn't planned, but they exchanged a few words all the same, mainly about the ANBU exams in which she was now enlisted.
Suddenly, the raven-haired Uchiha asked her an unexpected question.
"I don't mean to be intrusive, Sakura-san," – he always called her that way when there wasn't anyone else –, "but, if you can tell me, have there been developments in your discussion with your mentor?"
Sakura didn't need to ask what he was talking about, because it pertained the seduction missions. She didn't mind telling him, because she had already said what she thought in front of him, and there was no way she could embarrass herself further than that.
"Oh, yes, actually," she said with a smile. "I spoke to her a few days ago…"
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Flashback
Tsunade called Sakura to her office. She was calm and wanted to speak with her apprentice freely.
"Sakura, we have to speak about seduction missions once again."
Sakura became rigid. "Shishou…" she said, in a warning voice.
Tsunade sighed. "Well, then, repeat what you think, I'll listen."
"Fine." Sakura steadied herself on the chair and met her teacher's gaze. "Seduction missions are one of the worst things ninja invented. I don't know who had the idea but it's simply horrible." Her voice raised in anger. "And the ones who allow it are no better. You cover the truth with some pathetic lies! You give it the appellative 'mission' to make it sound acceptable, but it's nothing else than prostitution! And–"
"Enough!" Tsunade screamed. Even if she hadn't finished, Sakura shut up immediately. There was a line with the Hokage that no one dared cross.
The blonde woman took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She didn't want to get angry at Sakura. She wanted to sort out that matter once and for all.
In the past weeks she had given a lot of thought to the words that her apprentice had told her. Especially to the honest opinion Sakura had given her. And she had had to admit that maybe there was some truth in them. So she had decided to discuss it with her openly. But she could only do that if both remained calm.
With a much gentler voice, Sakura then continued, "Shishou, let me conclude, please. To prove that I'm not just some feminist, I would like to remind you that not only kunoichi but male shinobi, too, have to sleep with their targets to gather information. Only those who are already romantically involved with someone are not given that kind of missions." Her tone became grave. "You know better than anyone else that seduction missions are emotionally scarring. You have made me work in that part of the hospital many times. But all this could be avoided, Shishou, and you know that."
Tsunade took a deep breath. "I know, Sakura," she finally admitted quietly. "And I have thought about what you told me. I can't promise that it will be done immediately… but I swear I will do what I can, as Hokage, to stop this 'prostitution cycle', as you would call it. I don't know if it will be possible," she added, seriously. "But I will try."
Sakura nodded, very happy about her teacher's words. As she was about to leave her office, Tsunade called her again.
"Oh, and Sakura," she said, not really meeting her gaze, "I'm sorry for trying to force you to accept such a mission. I hope you realize…"
Sakura's smile was soft. "I know, Shishou," she said, gently, "You wanted to protect me. But I hope you realize now that it isn't the right way."
Tsunade nodded and dismissed her.
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"…and this is what happened," Sakura explained, with a serene smile.
Itachi smiled a little, too. "Well done, Sakura-san," he said, with pride.
The pink-haired woman blushed and averted her eyes. "Thank you, Taichou." It wasn't an everyday occurrence that Uchiha Itachi paid someone a compliment.
While she wasn't looking, he smiled again, more widely this time. She didn't know yet, but he would let her know soon enough how much she had bewitched him.
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A few days later, to no one's surprise since it was obvious it was going to happen, Haruno Sakura passed the ANBU tests and became a permanent member of squad Alpha.
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A/N: well, Tsunade isn't unreasonable after all...
"Cambiare Idea" is in Italian and it means literally "change one's mind" or, better, "change of heart".
The next one is going to be called "Dimmi La Verità". There is a time-skip of a few months.
Thanks for reading!
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