"Alright, Hinata, check the crowd, see if the target's just disguised or something." Kiba whispered, eyes scanning the people around them, sniffing hard for the floral scent of the crime lord that had evaded them for the past three days.
Hinata borrowed Shino's dark glasses to hide her Byakugan.
She slowly swept her eyes over the crowd, making sure no one escaped her radar.
Something unusual caught her attention. It was not the crime lord, but… She focused on the area, frowning.
There! A flash of pink.
A girl of her own age, under heavy genjutsu to look like an average, brown-haired teen. But… Hinata's mouth fell open in shock. She could see through genjutsu, leaving her with the true image before her with the genjutsu like an afterimage layered over it.
"Hinata?" Shino whispered from her left. His fingers twitched anxiously, several beetles running over his knuckles.
"Sakura-san." Hinata said disbelievingly.
"What?" Kiba couldn't hide his shock, his head snapping round to study the crowd.
"She's hidden under genjutsu. She is with an older man, also disguised. He is tall, dark-haired… he looks like Sasuke-san. He is… exceptionally powerful…"
"What the hell…?" Kiba muttered, fangs bared, "She goes missing for four years and then… Does she look frightened at all? Is she under any other jutsu?"
"No, she's laughing. Can you see her, the short brunette girl near the takoyaki stand? She seems comfortable in the man's presence."
Shino's fingers twitched again, "I have left an insect on her shoulder. She won't notice it. We'll be able to track her that way."
"What should we do?" Kiba said, voice tense with anticipation for a fight, "Should we abandon the mission and approach her?"
"Kiba, you will go back to Konoha and inform the Hokage of our findings. Hinata and I will complete the mission." Shino said calmly, looking quietly confident in himself as always.
Hinata was aghast, "But, Naruto-kun… if he knew we saw Sakura-san and did nothing…"
"The mission comes first." Shino said firmly, "Sakura left by her own will and does not appear to be in any immediate danger. Furthermore, we have means of tracking her should she disappear again. Kiba, go now."
Kiba disliked taking orders from Shino, but clambered on top of Akamaru and shot off regardless, grumbling under his breath.
Hinata watched Sakura's happy, smiling face, saw her hand wrap around the strange man's arm, and felt a chill of foreboding.
xxxxxxxx
Umeko walked down the hall, feeling slightly self-conscious. The years she had lived in Konoha had not lifted the feeling of 'otherness,' that she was somehow still foreign and strange to the locals. She was aware her personality in particular made it difficult for her to fit in. It couldn't be helped. She was as stubborn and hard-headed as a rock, and just as smart as one, as her mother often said.
She was also good at getting herself hopelessly lost, having no sense of direction at all, a flaw not befitting a shinobi. Still, at least Konoha had all sorts of interesting and distinctive landmarks she could use to keep track of her position. Iwakagure was mostly desolate, rocky and barren of individuality. When she had first arrived in Konoha, pink blossom filled the air and she had been left in awe.
Umeko's only interesting feature were the eyes she had inherited from her mother. They were dark purple, like two plums. Her hair was mud-brown and thin. Her mother had often expressed her frustration with it, finding it impossible to style. Her mother had hair as dark as a raven's wing, thick and lustrous. She liked to tease it into ringlets. Umeko always pictured her mother with corkscrew curls trailing over her shoulders and down her back. Umeko liked to keep her hair pinned up in a loose bun. It was the only style that didn't make her mother's nose wrinkle in distaste and even after she left Iwa and her mother behind, the habit stuck.
As the leader of their clan, her mother inspired admiration and devotion in equal measures in her family. Yamaguchi Hitomi was well loved by her peers. Umeko was generally expected to be a smaller version of Hitomi. But she didn't suit the part. Her diplomatic skills were non-existent, she was too awkward and serious to make friends everywhere she went and her short, stout body looked ridiculous in a kimono.
Her new teammates had not been friendly at first. Naruto, in particular, had hated her on sight. He had claimed that she was trying to take 'Sakura-chan's' place and that she was not worthy of the position. Umeko had tried to explain that she was here as a favour to her mother and that she did not intend to take anyone's place, but Naruto would not listen.
But Naruto, at least, had eventually warmed up to her a little.
Sasuke seemed to despise her. He ignored her whenever possible and spoke harshly whenever she tried to speak with him.
At first, it had been a little lonely. Her new sensei, Kakashi, had soon quit after her arrival. She still didn't know why. She tried not to take it personally. The look in his eye when they had first met, and he was told she would be Haruno Sakura's replacement… Umeko had bowed, speaking of her hopes that they would get along, and he had left the room without a word.
The next sensei was frightening. She was a violent, uncouth woman with eerie abilities and strange ideas for training. Her name was Mitarashi Anko. She remained Team 7's sensei to this day. Out of the whole team, Anko was the only one who seemed to actually like Umeko.
Team 7 had received a summons from the Hokage. She knew Naruto and Sasuke were probably heading for the Kage's office together, whilst she quietly made her way on her own. She was filled with a sort of wistfulness, and looked out of the window at the green, leafy trees, imagining clouds of sakura blossom.
Umeko rounded a corner and promptly bumped into Hatake Kakashi, who was standing outside the Hokage's office.
"Oh!" Umeko flushed, "My apologies. I wasn't looking where I was going…"
"I can see that." Kakashi replied. He leant against the wall, "You been summoned by Tsunade?"
"Yes, it is apparently urgent."
"Well, so was I. I'm guessing this is a matter that involves all of Team 7, past…" He paused, closing his eye, "… and present members included."
Umeko gazed at him, breathless. It was the first time he had referred to her as part of the team –
"Even you, I guess." He looked at her coldly, sounding disdainful.
"You bullying my kid again?" Anko's voice cut through the suddenly stiff atmosphere. Umeko jumped as her sensei's hand hit her shoulder.
Kakashi held a book up to his eye and shrugged, scanning the pages nonchalantly.
"Anko-sensei," Umeko said respectfully, "Have you also –"
"Baa-chan, we're here!" Naruto suddenly announced, his voice loud and obnoxious as usual. He emerged around the corner, Sasuke trailing behind him.
He gave Umeko a tiny, half-hearted grin, then thumped Kakashi on the arm.
"Hey, bastard!" Naruto greeted him. 'Bastard' seemed to be his default term for Kakashi. It had been ever since he quit being a jounin sensei.
"Naruto." Kakashi replied, not looking up from his book.
Sasuke remained silent, looking at the floor.
"Looks like the gang's all here." Anko said, grinning, and knocked on the Hokage's door.
"Come in." Tsunade called.
Umeko shuffled in behind Sasuke and stood up straight, mentally repeating the discipline phrase of my spine is stone that her mother had taught her to keep her still in her youth, when she was forced to stand during long meetings.
Inuzuka stood next to the Hokage, his dog-beast lying down next to him. Umeko eyed it nervously. She knew it was tame, but its size alone made it frightening… It yawned suddenly, revealing large teeth. She shuddered, forgetting her stony spine for a second.
"You all came quickly," Tsunade commented, seated behind her desk. Her pretty face was frowning, "I have news. Kiba, tell them what you know."
"We were out looking for our target," He began without preamble, addressing Naruto in particular, "When Hinata saw someone else. Sakura, with another man, both disguised under genjutsu."
Naruto sucked in a breath, shocked, his eyes bulging out. Sasuke stiffened, closing his eyes. Umeko saw his fists clench.
Kakashi's voice was quiet when he spoke up, "Sakura is alive, then?"
"Definitely. It was her for sure."
"Who was the man?" Anko asked, not smiling anymore.
Kiba shrugged. "Dunne. Hinata said he was tall, had dark hair and… oh yeah!" His eyes flicked over to Sasuke, "He looked like Sasuke."
Sasuke's eyes snapped open, blood red.
Kakashi was already murmuring, "It might not be him…" but Sasuke was charging forward, seizing Kiba by the shirt and dragging him forward.
"What did he look like? Tell me!" He snarled.
Akamaru gave a low growl.
"Sasuke!" Anko said sharply, "Calm down."
"What's going on?" Naruto asked, looking bewildered.
Umeko felt at a loss herself. Who was the man who looked like Sasuke?
"It could be him, he could be with Sakura!" Sasuke snapped, "Don't tell me to calm down."
"Who is 'he'?" Umeko asked.
Sasuke glared at her, "My brother."
Naruto's forehead creased in confusion, "You have a brother? I thought your family…"
"Because of him. He… he is the one who murdered my clan." Sasuke was trembling all over, his hands shaking violently as though they wished to throttle someone.
"I see," Umeko said seriously, "So we are going on a rescue mission, then? How dangerous is this man?"
Sasuke gave her an incredulous look, "He massacred an entire clan of powerful shinobi. What do you think?"
She could think only of sakura blossom, and of Naruto's sad eyes, and spoke up, "I think we need to get your friend away from him, then, if he is so dangerous."
"Easier said than done." Kakashi sighed.
"Anko," Tsunade began, "Take your team to find Shino and Hinata. They can lead you to where Sakura is. I want you to carefully evaluate the situation, weigh up the risks and see if it's worth trying to retrieve her. I don't want anyone dying over this. Umeko and Anko, you are the only impartial members. I'm going to trust you two to keep the team grounded, to prevent any unnecessary risk-taking."
Umeko nodded. Anko made a face.
"I'm coming." Kakashi said. He had put his book away without her noticing. His eye looked solemn.
Tsunade looked sceptical, but nodded, "I thought as much. Be careful. The only one of you who is forbidden from –"
"I'm going." Sasuke said, a dark, ugly look on his face, "I don't care what you say. If you stop me I'll just leave on my own."
The Hokage glared at him, "I think you'll find you don't make the rules around here. If you go and I find out you risked the safety of others for the sake of your revenge, endangering Sakura's life or anyone else's, I will have your hitae-ate. This is an immensely serious matter, Sasuke. You are not strong enough to kill Itachi. Not yet. For now, be satisfied with rescuing Sakura from him."
Umeko watched the complicated emotions war across Sasuke's face – he clearly wanted his brother dead very badly, but he seemed conflicted by the presence of Sakura.
"Sakura-chan comes first," Naruto said to Sasuke, looking determined, "I won't let you get in the way."
"Idiot," Sasuke muttered, "You're the one who'll be in the way."
"Before you go, you need to establish Sakura's position in all this," Tsunade said, "I don't think I ever met her, so I can't speak for her. Did she leave willingly? Did Itachi – if it is Itachi – kidnap her? If not, you may have difficulty getting her to leave him."
"Sakura wouldn't leave," Naruto declared passionately, "I said it from the start but no one believed me!"
Umeko imagined this Sakura girl living in captivity for four years and felt her resolve harden. If she could assist in this mission, she would do it without hesitation. She would prove her worth in this way.
"Why would he even want to kidnap her?" Anko asked, though her troubled look said she was thinking of a few reasons she didn't like.
"Perhaps he was aware of her affiliation with Sasuke." Umeko suggested.
Sasuke shook his head, "I can't predict anything that bastard would do. I never knew him at all."
"Regardless of whether she was willing or not, she may be the companion of a missing nin. We are duty-bound to retrieve her." Kakashi said.
Tsunade nodded.
"Well… Operation Retrieve Sakura has begun."
xxxxxxxx
After they helped Hinata and Shino out with their errant crime lord, they followed the trail Shino's insect led, Sasuke growing more and more tense with every step they travelled.
Kakashi was silent the whole time, not cracking any jokes or whipping out his brightly coloured books. Even Anko seemed slightly subdued.
Umeko walked behind Anko, dutifully following her footsteps. Her sensei back home had expected absolute respect, so she and the rest of her team had always walked at least two steps behind him. Anko loudly complained about how creepy it was the first time she did it, but she seemed to enjoy having a follower.
She was so focused on copying her sensei's footsteps that she nearly walked right into her back when the group halted suddenly.
Shino nodded to a small cabin on the outskirts of the village the crime lord dwelled in. "This is the place." He said quietly.
The cabin was in the middle of a large meadow, the mountains encircling the space, creeping ivy and dripping willow trees painting the picture with colour. Dark green leaves mingled with lime-coloured fruits Umeko didn't recognise hanging on trees, pink blotches of flowers broke up the grassy patches and there was a spring filled with crystal clear water next to the cabin.
"Genjutsu." Sasuke said, his Sharingan darting from the spring to the flowers.
Umeko was stunned to see the whole pretty scenery melt away as Sasuke broke the jutsu – the ivy and trees disappeared, the grass became yellow-green and burnt in places, there were no fruit or flowers left and the spring became a pond filled with algae.
"Clearly not to keep people away," Kakashi commented, looking around, "Looks like someone just wanted to make the place more attractive to look at."
Hinata's eyes suddenly bugged out. Umeko stared.
"Sakura-san is leaving the building. The man is not anywhere nearby." Hinata reported.
Naruto was practically buzzing with excitement at the prospect at seeing Sakura again. Sasuke kept his eyes on the cabin door, his stare intent and focused.
A teenage girl opened the door, a crow on her shoulder. She had long brown hair and a plain, honest-looking face.
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto bellowed.
Umeko felt her carefully laid plans go to waste with that one, impulsive shout, and mourned them quietly.
The girl turned around, looking astounded. The crow took off, flying west.
Her appearance melted away into a short girl with pink hair and green eyes.
"It's really you!" Naruto shouted, tears in his eyes.
Sakura stared at them all, her expression dazed. She slowly looked over them all, seemingly drinking in the details.
Naruto darted forward, "It's alright, we've come to save you!"
He leapt backwards as a kunai sailed through the air and struck the ground between him and Sakura.
A man with long black hair tied back and thin lines under his eyes landed next to Sakura. His expression was so cold Umeko gave an involuntary shiver at the sight.
Sasuke made a guttural, animalistic noise, his chakra flaring up in short, enraged bursts.
"Itachi." He growled, his Sharingan whirring around, "I'll kill you!"
"Not today." Anko squeezed his arm, "Remember the priority?"
Sasuke shook her off with a snarl, his jaw clenched tightly. It looked as though he was struggling to stay where he was – his eyes were wide and staring and he was shaking from the adrenaline coursing through him. Anko stepped closer to him.
Shino held out his hand, letting an insect fly off his finger.
"How do you know Itachi?" Sakura asked, looking bewildered.
The man named Itachi was expressionless.
Umeko made eye contact with Naruto. He nodded, pointing up.
She slammed her hand on the ground, a black seal appearing beneath her palm.
The ground under Naruto's feet shot upwards sharply, propelling him into the air. Kakashi shouted something, sounding alarmed, but Naruto was already forming seals mid-air.
A hundred Narutos appeared in the air, hurtling towards Itachi, each one armed with a kunai and a furiously determined face. Umeko noted the real Naruto landing back on the ground, Kakashi's hand on his collar.
Itachi didn't move.
Sakura rose to meet the threat, raising her palms out. Thousands of cherry blossom petals swirled through the air, blinding the clones.
Umeko had half a second to wonder at the famed Haruno Sakura, the girl she was not good enough to replace, using such a pointlessly pretty jutsu, before it happened.
Sakura drew her hands apart sharply and the petals exploded at once, fire and smoke billowing out from the ruined clones.
They watched in grim silence as the smoke cleared to reveal a sky empty of clones.
Naruto stopped fighting against Kakashi's hold and stared dumbly at Sakura, looking confusedly hurt and betrayed.
"That's enough." Sakura said, closing her hands into fists, "I understand you may be angry at my leaving, but you have no right to attack Itachi for it!"
"You'd defend him?" Sasuke turned his red-eyed furious glare on his former teammate, who looked frustrated.
"I don't understand what's going on here," She replied, "But I'd defend him to the death, of course. He's my sensei."
Umeko barely caught Kakashi's flinch. She felt a flicker of sympathy towards the man, despite knowing how he would feel about her pitying him.
"Your what?" Naruto spat out, "What are you talking about?!"
A flash of purple crossed Umeko's peripheral vision – Hinata was subtly planting herself next to Naruto, close enough to comfort him with her presence and also close enough to defend him, if necessary.
What is this, Umeko thought, was Sakura an enemy? Were they going to have to fight the both of them?
Sasuke's control snapped.
He was certainly not Anko's favourite student by any means, being far too dry and boring for her tastes, but they were alike in many ways. They both shared the same curse seal. Anko had taken it on as her responsibility to teach him all she knew.
Hissing, biting snakes emerged from Sasuke's sleeve, and shot towards Itachi's face.
Sakura leapt in front of him and the snakes halted, Sasuke's face contorting –
She brushed aside the snakes with a single hand, wearing her petals like a glove. The snakes melted with a deafening clamour of hissing and spitting, finally erupting into smoke. Sasuke shook his sleeve, his face like thunder.
"Stop it!" Sakura demanded, but the adults seemed to have had enough of watching and waiting because Anko appeared next to her and grabbed the girl's right arm and twisted it behind her back as Kakashi covered her, facing Itachi down.
Itachi looked at Sakura, struggling angrily against the older woman's grip, and moved.
Anko lay on the ground, coughing blood, grimacing. Umeko's eyes simply couldn't trace what had happened, but Itachi was now holding a dagger dripping with blood and had Sakura by his side, a hand on her shoulder.
Itachi glanced at Anko on the ground, his hand beginning to move, but Umeko formed a seal quicker than she knew she was capable and the ground shifted, forming a protective dome over Anko's prone form.
He turned to look at her instead, those cold eyes digging into her, but she sank into the ground, avoiding his gaze.
She swam through the rock as easily as water, filtering the stone and mud away from her, forming a tunnel underground. She emerged inside the dome to find Anko winding a bandage around her middle, the white already stained with blood.
"Thanks." Anko said, uncharacteristically terse.
Umeko accepted the gratitude with a nod, listening to the vibrations through the earth.
"Sakura-san is still next to the Uchiha," She informed Anko, "But Kakashi seems to be quite close to them both without any danger, I think."
"Must be talking." Anko wiped the blood off her chin and stared through the rock, "Could use the Hyuuga girl right now."
"She's holding Naruto back. From what I can hear of his voice," Umeko listened out for his particular cadence, his voice thrumming through the earth angrily, "He seems to believe we need his help."
"Doesn't he always? Sodding hero complex. Let's go back up, give the brat a scare."
"You go up. I'm going to isolate Sakura-san." Umeko said, coldly determined. I am stone, she thought fiercely, I am steady. She was going to snatch the girl right from under the missing-nin's nose. Wait till her mother heard about that!
She made a tunnel for Anko to travel through, knowing the woman could easily get out on her own.
When it was just her in the dark dome, she breathed out, searching for Sakura's light steps and feminine voice.
I'm sorry Kakashi, she said, her voice quiet under the earth, I owe my sensei everything. I can't leave him.
Umeko pinpointed her location and shot through the ground with a quick hand seal, arm stretched out, fingers carving through rock.
Her hand emerged, seizing Sakura's ankle. She tugged her down through the earth, swallowing her shriek with dirt.
Before she could celebrate her victory, another hand plunged through the earth and grabbed Sakura by the shoulder, roughly yanking her out of the hole.
Umeko cursed silently as black eyes glared down at her. She heard Naruto roar something and sank deeper into the ground, grateful for the distraction. Her chakra was getting low. She pushed herself over to the side of her allies, Naruto standing with Hinata, Shino and Anko, and made a hole.
Anko bent down to let her out of the ground.
Umeko didn't bother to brush herself down, just blinked dust out of her eyes and took in the sight before her.
Kakashi was indeed near Sakura, his hands up in a placatory gesture, but Itachi was now holding onto her tightly, Umeko's hole next to them. Sasuke stood alone, seething with rage.
Her ears caught something from the ground.
Sasuke was tapping his foot in a particular rhythm. Shinobi code.
Get me close to her.
No one else seemed to have noticed.
Well, she'd need to distract Itachi first, separate him and Sakura.
"I'm going to do something stupid." Umeko muttered to Anko.
"Don't die." She replied, eyes on Kakashi's back.
"I hate this jutsu." She said through gritted teeth, straining to shift the ground under Itachi's feet. He leapt away from the sudden quicksand, taking Sakura with him, but Umeko drove a spike of rock between them that, in the air, they had no choice but to separate to avoid.
Sasuke disappeared and reappeared in a flicker next to Sakura in the air, his hands on her shoulders, his Sharingan spinning. She stared back, wide-eyed and caught in his trap. They landed softly on the ground, not breaking eye contact.
Kakashi, Anko and Naruto formed a barrier between the two and Itachi, each one tense and ready for a fight.
But when Sakura started screaming, they didn't stand a chance.
There was loud bang and the three of them were sent flying in Itachi's wake as he sped towards Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto bellowed a warning. Umeko didn't have time to form any seals and froze in horror, mouth falling open when –
Itachi stopped, a hand on his left shoulder.
"Finally." Shino said.
Umeko stared at him.
"You have very poor chakra control." Shino said calmly, his glasses flashing in the sun, "It wasn't difficult to siphon off some chakra every time you used a technique. You are typically wasteful, you didn't notice the excess loss. If you try to use your Sharingan now, I fear the chakra expenditure might make you pass out."
It was more words than Umeko had ever heard him speak at once.
"If you had troubled yourself to use your Sharingan before, you would have noticed my kikaichū leeching your chakra much quicker."
Anko let out a bark of a laugh, hopping up from the ground as though unhurt, cheerfully ignoring the blood pouring from her head, "Jeez, well done kid. Making us all look bad."
Sakura had stopped screaming by this point, but Umeko could see tears shining faintly on her cheeks. What was Sasuke doing to her?
Itachi removed his hand from his shoulder, still expressionless. Umeko had no doubt he could take them on without his chakra, but she didn't doubt he would lose.
"I'll come back for her." He said with quiet confidence. He glanced at Sasuke, still holding Sakura by the shoulders and stuck in whatever jutsu he was working on. There was something about Itachi's expression that looked longing as he looked at them, "Keep her safe until then."
He disappeared, smoke unfurling from where he had stood.
Anko cursed a blue streak at his sudden departure but Kakashi's shoulders sagged in relief.
"Did you save your kikaichū before he left?" Umeko asked Shino worriedly.
His head turned towards her, his expression shielded completely by his hood and glasses. He held up a finger to show her a dark blue beetle nestling against his skin.
"Oh, good." She smiled, reaching over to give the beetle a stroke. His pale hand jerked away suddenly, to her surprise.
"We should let Sasuke know what happened." Shino said stiffly.
It was Naruto who shook Sasuke's shoulder gently, breaking the jutsu. He blinked slowly, his hands sliding off of Sakura's shoulders.
Sakura sank to the ground, fists on her knees. Umeko expected to see more tears but her eyes were as hard and sharp as diamonds, glinting with suppressed anger.
"What did you do to her?" Naruto demanded.
"I showed her the truth. My memories of that night." Sasuke replied, his righteous anger having already died away. He just looked tired now, infinitely weary. He looked around the clearing, his face screwing up as he realised Itachi had disappeared.
"Sakura-san…" Hinata whispered, hands covering her mouth.
"Hey, it's OK." Naruto bent down and put a hand on her shoulder, "You'll be fine. You can come home now."
Sakura stayed on her knees, her eyes shadowed.
"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked worriedly, starting to walk towards the motionless girl.
Sakura raised one shaking hand and held it outstretched behind her. Thousands of petals poured from her palm in a violent stream and struck the cabin all at once. She flicked her wrist and Umeko flinched as the cabin imploded, wood and glass shattering beneath the force of Sakura's rage.
"ITACHI!" She howled, face twisted, "Tell me it's not true! I know you're still here, I know you!"
If Itachi truly remained close by, he stayed silent.
"I know you!" Sakura insisted, striking the ground with her fists. Her eyes remained dry, burning fiercely with rage, "It's all a lie," She glared up at Sasuke, "I don't believe you."
Sasuke raised his fist, Umeko horrified to see tears glinting in his eyes, and could only be restrained by Naruto hauling him back, as he yelled, "I was THERE! I saw him! I know what he did!"
Naruto hugged him tightly, burying his face in his shoulder. Sasuke shuddered, clutching Naruto's arms. "Don't worry," Naruto said clearly, "We got her back and no one died. We did good."
Though Sasuke let out a loud scoff, his breathing began to settle down.
Sakura stayed on the ground, a tight frown creasing her pretty face. Umeko knelt down in front of her, wondering what to say.
"Who are you?" Sakura asked, her voice very small and cracked. She didn't look away from the ground.
"Yamaguchi Umeko," She replied, hesitant, "I took your place in Team 7 after you left."
Sakura's eyes rose to meet hers, apple green meeting plum purple, and then she burst into tears.
Before anyone gets upset at not being able to see Itachi and Sakura's four years of living together, rest assured, there were be plenty of flashbacks :)
So! Sasuke did not leave Konoha. Itachi never came for Naruto. This was his first meeting with him since the massacre. I think he was very composed :D
Sakura was replaced by a nin from Iwa, Yamaguchi Umeko. Now she's back! What will come of this, I wonder?
Kakashi quit being a jounin sensei, and is quite bitter about how it all turned out. Anko is the new sensei of the team!
I'm sure there's plenty of other changes I've forgotten to mention :)
Sakura's perspective next chapter. Don't worry, no angsty vengeful Sakura in this fic!
Yes, she can make things blow up with petals. I like it :D
Umeko's techniques are standard Earth Release skills.
Quick poll for fun: Is there a book/movie/song/band/anything that changed your life?
I think mine is pretty standard – Harry Potter gave me my all-consuming love of fantasy.