o.o *rubs eyes* O.O *sputters* Seriously people, I didn't expect so much feedback and the like on the first chapter! I feel unworthy. But still, thank you so much. There are a few reviews that I hadn't replied to yet, when I had every intention to, but I think you'd prefer me to update this story instead, yes? The things some of you guys said really made me feel good. The fact that it made some of you speechless just... makes me speechless! I feel like crying.

In short... thank you guys so much for the alerts, favourites and reviews. Look at me, I'm glowing! *glows*

This chapter made me angry, though. I lost interest in Bleach and the story but I gained inspiration pretty quick for the end. I'm now interested in the drama that is going to follow for Sakura, Ulquiorra and Grimmjow. It'll be one of the first chapter stories that is not entirely action. I hope you are interested too. :3

Now, enjoy! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!

—CHAPTER TWO—
Induction

Sakura paced.

The very early events had tired her out almost completely but yet she couldn't relax until she had sorted out the ever so annoying problem with her patients. She was still wearing her pyjama's, which was quite uncomfortable as she walked between rooms in the hospital because she was getting stares by the late night nurses. Right then, however, she was in Ulquiorra's new room, treading the same path over and over again in front of the door, hand under her chin in thought.

He was there too, newly restrained to a bed. His green eyes were following her repeated steps, which she ignored. Honestly, she was shocked after hearing Grimmjow's side of the story—though he did dramatise it a bit—and she realised that she would actually have to hear the ANBU's story to get the entire thing. Grimmjow refused to say what the conversation was about before the attack, but clearly it was the catalyst. So she was nervous.

She paused and looked at him. He had always reminded her of Sasuke: cold; emotionless; short sentences; not one to divulge anything; resilient; stubborn; underestimating and probably more but in her tired state it was difficult to even string up that thought. One difference, though, was that Ulquiorra stared.

Sasuke refused to meet her or anybody's eyes for more than a few seconds, but Ulquiorra kept his gaze trained on her. She knew what was going through his mind. He saw her as a threat and was watching and analysing her. This made things interesting.

They did, after all, suspect that those two had gone through a life of some kind to be able to survive the wounds they found them with; as well as any side habits she or the other nurses had picked up that were just odd for a ninja (staring at their forefinger for example). That action (not the only one though) just convinced Tsunade and the others in on the secret that the two did have some sort of power beforehand, but were clearly having trouble accessing it. Ulquiorra was more obvious. It was as though he was desperate to get whatever he lost back because he wanted to leave. Whether Grimmjow believed the same, Sakura didn't know, but she had an inkling that he was up to something. If anything, he was the one they had to watch more carefully.

Sakura groaned as she swayed and teetered over to his bed. "Mind telling me what that was about before I ask the ANBU?"

He tsk'd, looking away for the first time that morning (it was about two thirty). "Pathetic," he muttered.

"Says the one currently chained up like a dog," Sakura countered.

Ulquiorra jolted; a failed attempt at keeping her quiet. A grimace was on his face, his fists tightening.

The medic frowned. "And I thought I'd seen everything," she remarked. He didn't budge. "I'm no expert at reading expressions or emotions but I swear I just saw a bit of anger."

"And my attempt at an attack said otherwise?" he responded coldly.

"I meant anger towards yourself."

He glanced up at her but didn't say anything. She missed his expression, and therefore what was going through his mind. Inhaling deeply, Sakura drew herself up to a new height and put her hands on her hips.

"I bet there are so many things you want to call me right now. Pathetic. Trash. Annoying," she counted. "Yet I'm not feeling the emotion behind it." Silence. "Oh, don't tell me you're one of those people that had to live a life devoid of emotion and bonds to survive? I've heard that story way too many times, that now it's a bore. Whoever ordered that of you was a fool."

He lashed again, and instantly the same expression of self-loathing she had seen before crossed his face as he receded back into his bed. He lay there, panting, his eyes closed and his fingernails digging into his palm.

"Just leave."

Sakura looked pensive. "I've hit a soft spot," she mumbled.

"Leave."

Fixing up the sleeve of her pale blue dressing gown, she turned and left. The questions just kept coming.

Tsunade's eyes turned into slits. "Really?"

The ANBU nodded, pacing before the Hokage's desk in short, casual steps. "Affirmative. Hebi can approve. His bugs were at the scene." He swayed to a halt, his pale eyes looking out the tower window and over the rooftops of Konoha. The sun had just risen over the tree-top horizon. "They should be placed under security."

The blonde Sannin nodded brusquely, her nails caressing the hourglass edge of a sake bottle. Her cheeks were slightly red to hint that she had been drinking, but it was only enough so that she still remained sober. Somehow she knew she'd definitely need to hold back in these lasts few days, as they were going to be hectic, but for the very same reason, she longed to drown her sorrows.

A sigh escaped her lips. "Sakura has informed me that they should be put under watch but she is under the impression that doing so would just stretch the rope of trust."

The ANBU scoffed. "And it already hasn't been stretched?" He crossed his arms and turned to the Hokage. "Patient 2 is already suspicious of us, plainly stating so when we stopped the fight. We can't cause more harm than what has already been done."

"Rabbit, I—"

There was a soft rapping at the door and it opened a peek before swinging open more. Sakura stepped in, looking better than she had that morning when there was that fight in her patient's room. Her pink hair was groomed, bundled into a side ponytail that slung over her shoulder. She was dressed in the nurse's uniform with a clipboard in her hand. It was like she never departed from it. Still, despite her refreshed appearance, she still looked dreadfully tired.

"Milady, I—oh," she paused, her green eyes resting on the other occupant in the room. She nodded placidly. "I'm sorry. I didn't realise."

Rabbit faced her fully, and she could only guess that he was wearing a slight smile on his face when he replied, "That's why you wait for the response, Sakura."

The rosette sighed and rolled her eyes. "Good morning, whoever you are," she mumbled with a cheeky smile.

The member stiffened and gave her a curt brow.

"Okaaay," she said hesitantly. She gestured to him while she looked to Tsunade. "Clearly I know this person."

He chuckled but pressed a finger to his white mask as a sign to keep silent.

"Enough you two," Tsunade sighed, taking a swig of her sake. "Cut the flirting and let's get to business."

The two switched from playful banter to business mode in a heartbeat, approaching the Hokage's desk in unison as the meeting was about to begin. Tsunade gestured to Sakura to begin, who glanced at her clipboard and flipped over a page.

"Well, Cifer has been relocated to a smaller room down the hall. He's been restrained, just like I asked, and he's currently in a very... tetchy mood," she ended uncertainly.

"Tetchy?" Rabbit asked.

She inhaled. "I pulled an Ino." Sakura didn't give them a chance to talk before she continued. "I know, interrogation isn't my thing but he was asking for it. He was... being a pain."

"Not Jaegerjaquez this time?" Tsunade asked with a raised eyebrow. Sakura's glare was half-hearted.

"No." She rolled her eyes. "Damage control-wise. Jaegerjaquez has a simple broken nose, but he seems pretty worked up about the fact that it hurt a lot more than he expected." She scrunched up her nose. "And he is looking healthier than he was before."

Tsunade pursed her lips. "Healthier? When did you notice this change?"

Sakura shrugged. "He looked the same sickly white when the attack started but as soon as he was put back to rest in bed, colour had returned to his skin and he had stopped sweating. Maybe it was Cifer's presence that was stressing him."

Rabbit shook his head. "I doubt it. Patient 1 hardly looked the type to be stressed about anything."

"Oh?" Sakura raised an eyebrow. "What are you best friends now?"

"Very funny, Sakura," he responded dryly.

Tsunade cleared her throat, her hand shading her forehead. "Rabbit. Care to inform Sakura what you just told me?"

The ANBU looked hesitant for a moment before he nodded curtly. "We have received intel from ANBU member Hebi that has given us reason to suspect some other forces around the appearance of these two. Patient 1 had goaded Patient 2 into a fight by using very few words, one of which was 'human'. I think it's easy to deduce what that means."

Sakura nodded in agreement, her brow furrowed. "I fear getting the rest of the story will be much harder—and how exactly did you get this information? An Aburame?" Rabbit stayed silent. "And I thought I was smart in suggesting we ask Shino to plant a few of his bugs outside their room. Of course the ANBU would think—eh? Shino is Hebi?"

The ANBU member turned to Tsunade and sagged his shoulders, sighing. "Took you long enough, Sakura."

She jabbed a finger at him. "Hey! He's hard enough to get to know without him disappearing all the time!" She poked Rabbit's white breast-plate armour a few times in irritation before he whacked her hand away. "And stop scowling!" she warned, her finger right below the chin of his mask.

"What gave me away?"

Sakura stood on her tippy toes to glare him in the eyes properly, but he was still half a head taller than her. "I could hear it."

"Okay now, children," Tsunade called.

Sakura crossed her arms, the clipboard now on the Hokage's desk as she stared up at the ANBU. "You're so much different now than you were back in the room."

"I've given my report, and now if you'll be so kind Sakura, I believe the Lady Hokage would like to speak to us." He titled his head towards her the blonde who was glaring at the both of them with a fist tucked below her chin.

The rosette sighed, visibly calming down. "Of course, sorry Milady."

She grunted. "Rabbit, anything more to report?" He shook his head. "Then your suggestion."

"You've already said that Sakura believes setting up an obvious watch may distress them, and while I'll hold to my previous suggestion, perhaps... stress is the last thing they, and we, need. I'm assuming, in that case, we won't be getting Ino or someone else from the Interrogation department to get the info out of them?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Probably not; at least as not our first option. We'll try something else first."

"I see. And what is this other plan?"

Sakura stared curiously at her previous mentor, wondering herself what the plan was. She was disappointed when she shook her head and sighed.

"I have an idea, but it is not complete yet." She stretched in her seat, her back cracking. "Wait til the Hokage is appointed. The day after is when we agreed to sit down and figure out what to do next after they're fully healed—to a degree."

Rabbit agreed confidently. "Two days then. I shall bring in Shino as well since he's also involved."

"I can't wait to find out who the Hokage is!" Sakura cried passionately. The ANBU chuckled.

Grimmjow scowled at all the people swarming up the street by his window. They were awfully loud, yet he couldn't deny his curiosity for what was going on. Ever since he had ended up in this bizarre place, things had been strange. Firstly, he was human and he was actually relieved with the knowledge. While having the rank of an Arrancar was definitely a worthy status, he found he had actually missed some of the subtle pleasures of being human. He enjoyed it, and was utterly annoyed with the Cuarto trying to mess everything up.

Yes, he did know that he no longer had the hole, and that he didn't have his mask. He didn't have the blue marks by his eyes either, so he wondered if he still had the giant six on his back. He doubted it, though; one of the nurses would have pointed it out. In that case, it seemed that every tie they had to being an Arrancar was completely gone.

As well as the power.

He had quickly learned when he attacked the pink-haired nurse that he didn't have his old strength. There was no energy sparking within him when he flared himself for battle, and he had seen the dipshit Ulquiorra collapse to his knees under the strain of being unable to produce a Cero—though, honestly, why would the idiot conjure up an attack like that in such an enclosed space?

It was like they had switched roles. Ulquiorra was obvious, and by now he had to have figured out, at least, that he was stuck and would need to blend in, as well as to control his emotions since he was incredibly unstable. If he didn't, Grimmjow would certainly have something to say about it. He didn't know where he was but for once he wasn't being forced into submission by a prick he didn't even like. He had freedom—or at least had a higher chance in obtaining it when he was released.

What would happen after his release was something he didn't know. But right now, he knew that his life was in that nurse's hands. He hated depending on such beings but for now it was necessary for his survival.

Hopefully it wouldn't last long.

A quiet stream of knocks on the door caused him to tear his gaze from the crowded street outside and to the door. It opened, and his nurse stepped in, except she wasn't wearing her usual uniform (instead grey pants and an earthy brown, thin strapped shirt) and was carrying a bundle of clothes. Her long hair was twisted into a messy bun on the lower, right side of her head as she smiled.

"How are you doing, Jaegerjaquez?" she asked.

He twitched his lips. How could he forget? There was something wiggy going on behind all the shit he had to wade through. For some bizarre reason, he had gotten quite sick, and all of a sudden, two nights ago, he had felt perfectly fine—except for the broken nose of course; he felt stupid having a white tape over the bridge of his nose.

He grunted. "What's going on out there?"

"Oh, just a little ceremony. Konoha is getting a new leader today," she said in excitement.

Grimmjow didn't see why the woman was so excited. A new leader. Yippee. Note the sarcasm. His leader was a psychotic bastard who was using them like throw away toys. It was probably going to be some long, annoying, senseless event where the new leader would be an eyesore. White, long hair and skin that was as wrinkly as the small ripples of a pond—not that he stared at ponds much.

If he was in her position, he'd be doing something a little more fun. Such as hunting down some bad guys to threaten and kill, or scoping out the new land. Or even—

"And you're coming with me."

—going with her. Wait, what?

He whirled around as fast as lightning, his eyes wide as they landed on the clothes she had brought along. "No way," he stated promptly.

"You have no choice," she stated sweetly. Grimmjow wanted to so badly bash her face in. He would not follow her orders. She was hardly intimidating, not even as half as Aizen was!... and now he had to smash his head against the wall for even complimenting the power-hungry badger.

"I don't talk orders from..." he stopped, not knowing what to say next.

Funny, normally he had a lot to say about this sort of thing, but seeing her standing there with arms outstretched towards him and holding the clothes, her eyes closed as she tilted her head at him, her smile that stretched only slightly to let him know that he'd better do what she said or he'd face her wrath!... just made him tsk and look away.

He was done with following orders.

"You need to get some fresh air," Sakura said again. "It's not good to be cooped up all day. I'm not going to threaten you."

He scoffed. Hadn't she been doing just that?

He glanced over his shoulder and saw that her eyes were closed, probably in thought. He knew he was going to regret this but... he grabbed at the clothes roughly, jostling her from her thoughts.

"I'm doing this because I want to," he growled, glaring at her. She smiled knowingly before leaving to give him some privacy.

"Come out when you're done," she called out on the other side of the door.

Alone, Grimmjow stared at the clothes she had gotten them. They were much better than the stupid hospital ones he was condemned to wear, but they look a little more tight fitted than the Arrancar robes he was used to wearing back home. Setting the clothes on the bed, he pulled them apart to get a better look.

Who the hell who wore clothes like this? And he wouldn't be caught dead wearing that ugly brown top she had given him, so he tossed it over his shoulder, took off his own shirt and slipped on a fishnet top instead. His fingers lingered over his stomach, where the hollow hole used to be.

Did they even see it? If they did, did Sakura heal it? Why was it always the woman who had such interesting powers? Still, she was a woman nonetheless. That, alone, told him that they wouldn't have the natural strength and stamina that he would have—if he ever got it back that is.

Seriously. How much power could these ninja possibly have?

It was hardly a minute later when Grimmjow opened the door lazily and strolled out, his other hand raking through his wild, blue hair. "This better be worth—"

He met wide eyes of brown and unconsciously he let his eyes drop to study this new person who was suddenly in his personal bubble. Growling, he pushed the female back roughly so that she hit the wall of the corridor.

Resting against it coolly, the brunette nurse tended to her aching shoulder and glared at the blue-haired man, her lips set into a full pout. He cut in before she even had the chance to respond—Kami, were all female nurses easily angered like Sakura?

"Where's the Haruno woman?" he demanded, rolling his head.

The nurse huffed. "For Kami's sake. If you had just asked that to begin with rather than man handling me..."

"Che. Whatever," he dismissed.

The brunette growled but didn't say anything about his attitude. "She had to quickly do something. She'll be back soon. Meanwhile, she told me to watch you, so watch you I will!" And she set her brown eyes on him like she was a hawk stalking a prey.

If he had been anybody else, he would have felt slightly unnerved by the expression in her eyes but he let it roll, falling back onto the door of his room instead. His head was driving him insane—so was his nose, for that matter. He was feeling sick again, but was unsure whether it really needed someone to take a look.

The nurse copied him, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms. Her steely eyes never left him. He swore she hadn't even blinked yet.

At that moment, however, the strange quirks his current vulture had were the least of his problems. Several doors down, Ulquiorra stepped out of his room. Grimmjow had to smother a laugh when he saw that the black-haired Arrancar was being escorted by a nurse and another one of those ninja who wore those freaky white masks. He excitedly noted that he was cuffed as well. What annoyed Grimmjow, though, was that they were heading in his direction—or maybe it was an opportunity.

Ulquiorra lifted his head and his green eyes met Grimmjow's baby blue. They narrowed—both of the now humans. Grimmjow noted that the masked ninja behind Ulquiorra had stiffened when the Cuarto Espada had, and he fought a roguish grin.

It was actually interesting to see the normally contained man... well... contained.

At the corner, his corner, the nurse turned and the masked ninja had to nudge Ulquiorra to turn as well. His eyes had left Grimmjow's, and the latter knew exactly what sort of message that had been sent through the link.

We have to talk.

Curious, Grimmjow watched the other leave.

"Okay, Herumi."

His ears perked, and the nurse by him straightened considerably as the familiar, pink-haired ninja returned from further up the hall. He noted the skip in her step as she approached them and placed a hand on the brunette nurses' shoulder.

"Thanks for the cover. Go back to your shift," Sakura suggested with a smile.

Herumi looked relieved. "Thank, Kami. I'll take Taguchi and his tall tales any day." Without another glance, she left back the way Sakura had come.

"Let's go, Jaegerjaquez."

He was going to regret this, wasn't he?

Sakura swerved through the crowd like a minx, Grimmjow following behind her but having a little more trouble in not bumping into anybody. He was immensely peeved that it was so crowded, and that they didn't have front row seats, but was more annoyed that she seemed to be taking him to the back of the crowd which was ages away from the front.

He scowled as he leaned against the wall of a house, Sakura swaying beside him on a crate, her green eyes peering over the heads of the swarm of ninja and civilians.

"You know you could have gotten a closer spot," he grumbled.

"The last thing you need is to be compacted into an area by complete strangers," she explained, nose high as she waited for the Hokage doors to open. As soon as they did, it would be the first time anybody in Konoha would find out who their new leader was. It made her panic, even though Tsunade had promised that they would be reasonable.

Grimmjow scoffed, fighting a sneeze that was already hurting his nose. "What's wrong with me being surrounded by people?" he asked, curious of her answer.

She sighed and put her hands on her tips, tapping her thigh in impatience. She needed to get back to work. "That should be obvious, Jaegerjaquez. You don't know anything about Konoha, and other mysteries cloud you. Besides, you remind me of a cat, and when a caged cat is even further constricted, they'd go wild."

He chuckled. And then sneezed. "Bloody hell!"

Sakura bit back her chortle as she hopped down from the crate. "You know, you're looking a little pale again." She clucked her tongue but started to heal him again. "It obviously wasn't a fever or anything."

He grunted in annoyance, but didn't say anything. At that moment, however, there was a loud murmur breezing over the crowds as movement was scouted ahead. Sakura pulled away from Grimmjow and rested her eyes on the ledge above, waiting in anticipation.

Grimmjow scowled, a hand cupping his bleeding nose while he tried to hush the pain. "What's got your panties in a twist?"

Sakura glared. "At the moment, you."

He grinned goofily, and she froze, staring back at him with narrowed eyes.

"You insufferable prat!" she yelled. She groaned loudly in frustration. "Sometimes I think you do this on purpose!"

"Oh! He's coming!"

"There he is!"

The rosette's anger diffused instantly into the air and she whirled around, eyes peering above the cheering crowd as Tsunade stood by the edge of the tower, her back turned to the swarm as she nodded at someone behind her. The new Hokage approached the railing, the blue hat shielding his face until he lifted it, revealing a pair of pearly white eyes.

"No way!" Sakura cried, clutching her chest as though a kunai had struck her.

The crowd burst into loud screams of mirth as Neji Hyuuga tilted his head and removed his hat, sending a confident smile to those before him. Grimmjow cringed at the sheer loudness of the cheers, and sent dirty looks at Sakura who was jumping up and down excitedly on her wooden box, clapping her hands. He half wished that she'd fall from it.

Tsunade made a simple signal and Konoha went quiet. Neji then spoke, his voice commanding over the throng below him.

"I may not live up to the standards the previous Hokage's have set before me, nor to their overwhelming stature, history and strength! I may not go down in Konoha's history as the most influential Hokage, or the one who led this village through a prosperous length of years, but I know that I will play some part in your lives as your Leader, as your Protector! And I will only be known in Konoha's history books as a good Hokage, one who didn't break the already mighty chain of strong-willed Hokage's who encouraged the Will of Fire within all of you, if you will all support me! If you accept me!

"So that is what I ask of you now, Konoha! I swear that I will protect you; that I will serve you; that I will honour this village and its people, both old and young, until I draw my last breath! My life is yours, if you'll have me!"

Sakura felt the earth beneath her feet tremble in fear of the conquering cheers of the people that stood upon it. It was loud and chilling; beyond the use of words that Sakura couldn't even conjure to the tip of her tongue. It was just hard to believe that someone she knew personally was now the Hokage; it moved her to tears.

Neji Hyuuga, known as the Caged Bird among close friends, was now flying free, with the support of Konoha as the wind beneath his wings. With their acceptance, he was watching over them.

And all this experience was shunted quickly when a guttural snort left Grimmjow's nostrils.

The rosette scowled, the goose bumps covering her arms and legs gone, as she turned to the blue-haired man to see him covering his nose and nursing it. She crossed her arms while she plopped down from the crate.

"Why do you act like this?" she asked, though her voice was hardly heard over the crowd.

"Like what?" Grimmjow responded harshly, his eyes narrowing.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know, like you'd rather live without a protector such as a hokage."

"Woman, where I came from, we had someone who lorded over the others as well..." he said, his eyes glinting maliciously, "...and he was a psychotic, power-hungry lunatic. A position that hangs over everyone else's only invites greed and a god-complex."

"Then you were just unlucky," she stated without a moments breath. "Or maybe that's just you."

"Is that so?" he said smoothly. "And what makes you think that?"

"You remind me of a cat, remember? A cat is completely independent. In its own way, they are the ones who are in control of what happens to them, they are the ones who command as long as they have freedom." She took a step closer to him. "Is that right, Jaegerjaquez? Tell me how you differ."

He growled loudly, his chest vibrating from the sound, but Sakura wasn't deterred. He pushed himself off his slouch against the wall and stood right in front of her, so that her breasts were almost brushing his chest. He looked down on her, and she looked right back up at him. His show of dominance shook her, but she stood strong.

"Tell me about where you came from," Sakura ordered almost.

"Heh," he chuckled, his breath brushing over her fringe and forehead. "Is that what you guys have been wanting all this time?" She didn't respond. "Sorry, but I don't remember much." He turned, stuffing his hands into his pockets, intent on leaving the area and heading back to the hospital where he'd be in peace and quiet.

"You're lying," she stated, following after him. The crowds were slowly starting to disperse.

Grimmjow merely sent her a cheeky grin.

"You don't look too happy," Neji Hyuuga stated as soon as Sakura entered the Hokage office, a sour look on her face. He thrummed his fingers against the table of his new desk in amusement before righting himself.

The rosette didn't react, just bowed slightly. "Lord Hokage."

"I still am not used to that," he responded light heartedly.

Sakura nodded at the other occupants in the room; Shino Aburame, Shizune, and the former Hokage. That was all who were involved in the future of their unexpected and suspicious patients. She looked forward to how this would end, because at last she'd be free of them. Jaegerjaquez was a persistent thorn in her side, and Cifer was as stoic and unrelenting to talk as a wooden pole—she would have said ice cube, but ice eventually melted, and he didn't seem able.

She cast her eyes back over to Neji and felt an awkward shiver trail down her spine. It was too weird to see him behind that table, with the Hokage hat perched on a small table a ways behind him. He still wore the white robes from hours earlier that day—t'was now late afternoon—and had a haggard expression on his face as his pearl-like eyes swept over the medical reports.

"Okay, let's begin," he spoke.

Tonton oinked in agreement, trotting about Tsunade's sandalled feet who sat on the ledge of an open window, her arms crossed; Shizune was by her. Shino nodded.

"In previous discussions regarding the two patients, Ulquiorra Cifer and Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, we have concluded that using direct force, or even hidden methods, to gain some information would only wound our chances of learning of potentially interesting backgrounds. This meeting is to discuss what shall become of the two," Neji began.

It was scary how formal he was being.

"They seem sincerely oblivious to our village, as well as a number of other key names around the world," Tsunade said. "Perhaps letting them into the village and teaching them of our ways, our history and such, would help discreetly getting the information we'd like."

"That can be harmful," Shino pointed out. "How is it harmful? Because they may use the knowledge of ninja against us, for whatever people they once knew in their history."

"I don't think both of them want to return to their old life," Sakura said. "Jaegerjaquez was particularly against the idea of accepting a new leader to govern over others, and he made hints about his past life that suggested that he wouldn't want to go through the same experience. In that case, keeping him in the village may be harmful in another way."

"Sakura, you once described him as a feline," Tsunade stated.

"Yes."

"Like every other cat, he'd want to be in a place where he can get what he wants, without costs. It seems to me as though someone in his past life was using him in a manner that he resented."

"So you're saying that accepting him into the village as a citizen may be something he wants?" Sakura asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," the blonde confirmed. "Cifer seems a little more difficult. I'm under the impression that he's like a walking time-bomb. He'll be harder to deal with."

Neji was listening intently, as though he didn't want to stuff up on the first day of the job. Sakura only knew that their group of friends would no doubt drag the Hyuuga into a party in celebration, and she internally sighed when she realised that she'd be able to drink to drown her tire and frustration. Tomorrow was going to be a public holiday because of the induction of a new Hokage. The hospital wouldn't be closed, there'd still be nurses, but she was allowed a day off thanks to Tsunade.

"Shino. Sakura. Your opinion?" the Hokage asked. "I'd have to agree with Lady Ho—Lady Tsunade on the matter of Cifer. He'd probably need a longer period to cool off, before we consider introducing him into the village, and if we do."

"We'd have to be careful on how we deploy him into Konoha, then," Shino added. "I concur that he could change without a moment's notice."

Sakura nodded. "I agree, but all the same, it may be beneficial for us if we integrate them into Konoha. It doesn't seem as though they had any life in any of the regions nearby, and we'd probably get nothing out of them until they can trust us."

"If even then," Shino added.

"I think their future has been decided quite quickly, don't you think, Lord Hokage?" Tsunade said with a smile, her lips curling up in amusement.

Neji seemed a little ruffled by the title still, but was able to respond smoothly. "It seems so. Though they'd need a teacher, of sorts; someone who can help them." He regarded them coolly. "I already have a few applicants in mind."

Sakura snorted. "And I wish them luck."

He smirked. "Don't count your blessings yet, Sakura. I was going to choose you."

Tell me, who could see that coming? *wicked grin* And did anybody see Neji coming as the Hokage? Did anybody like his speech? I think it was a bit quick, but he isn't much for words, ne? I don't think I actually said how old they were, but I plan to sometime soon. Anyway, they are in early twenties.

Anybody understanding the summary a little better now?

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