An elderly man limped through the hallways, heading towards the double doors. Opening, he found the Third Hokage to be speaking with one of the academy senseis, Iruka.
Hiruzen smiled pleasantly as he could to his old friend and rival. The other did not share the same sentiments.
"Danzo, what brings you here?"
"I was informed there is no suitable candidate for the Uchiha and Jinchuriki's team. I might be able to help you."
If the Hokage was irritated, he didn't show it. Iruka's angry face at Naruto being referred to 'jinchuriki' was noticeable though Danzo ignored that fact completely.
"Iruka, will you wait outside for a minute?"
The man reluctantly nodded, before heading out the door, closing it behind him. Hiruzen sighed, turning to his large bay windows over-looking the city he loved and protected.
"It is true. We would put the Yamanaka heir on the team, seeing as she is the best student, however that would break up the Ino-Shika-Cho formation, which has been a great asset in many battles since Konoha's formation. On the other hand, the Hyuuga heir does not balance out the team in intelligence. Sasuke has average intelligence while Naruto is lacking in the area. Anyone else would either break-up a potentially good team or just does not fit."
Danzo smirked, sitting in one of the chairs.
"I have a boy who is highly intelligent in my sector. He has already created his own form of jutsu, it is incredible actually. He is still not fully trained, and I did not plan to bring him out for a while, yet I do not want two potentially powerful tools to fail because they do not have a capable teammate."
Hiruzen thought it over. He really did not want to us one of Danzo's root operatives, yet Danzo said the boy was not finished training. It was a dangerous move and Hiruzen could potentially be putting both Naruto and Sasuke in danger of Danzo's plotting. Yet, he also begrudgingly knew that Danzo's kid soldiers were very talented, and could protect both from the troubles and obstacles they will no doubt face. Hiruzen's face stayed passive as he weighed out the pros and cons of the situation.
"Can I meet him?"
Danzo's smile widened as he nodded. He pulled out a scroll out and placed it on the ground, pushing chakra into it caused smoke to fill the area.
A boy, maybe a little bit older than Naruto, kneeled, dressed in all black. The hokage looked at the boy suspiciously, he didn't seem to have any killer intent like a lot of root agents.
"Hello there, your name�" Hiruzen asked as the boy looked up, a fake smile blossoming on his face.
"You may call me Sai."
A teenager, no older than 16, sat hunched over, working on wooden-looking parts, his messy red-hair falling around his face as his honey-colored eyes stared in focus at the simple looking parts. Around him hung bodies, puppet ones consisting of wooden ones and human ones. It did not matter to him. He didn't even look as a blue-haired beauty descended down the steps of his room. There was no bed, he had no need for sleep.
He knew her distaste in the hideout because of the warm weather and usually sunny days. She only showed satisfaction when it rained. He personally didn't care, he preferred staying indoors anyways.
"Sasori." The woman stated with authority, the only annoyance the boy looking man made was a twitch of his finger. He never liked woman in charge, always too full of themselves. Konan might be one of the few he actually tolerated.
He made no vocal responses, only the silent demanding of her to say her piece and leave.
"You seem a bit annoyed."
His eyes narrowed, although most believed he could not have emotions, he still had his soul, no matter how cruel and dark it grew or how tight he locked it away, he still felt few emotions. However he knew Konan wasn't reading him, she had been digging like usual.
"I have seen things, you newest body is definitely different, isn't it?"
Finally, honey eyes looked over to her own amber ones, his tinkering stopping. She was powerful, he knew that, so was Pein, yet they would not have been going in such fast pace if it wasn't for his brains. They chose to ignore that, and Sasori could care less, he preferred to work in the shadows.
"What do you want." No question there.
"I am slightly worried about our advisor, and want to be sure that this newest project isn't going to be something the Akatsuki end up regretting."
Nothing was worried about her uncaring, cold tone. Sasori lip twitched down, as he turned his full attention to the older woman.
"The body I am building up is different, but it is sure to be more powerful when it comes to its full potential."
"This body seems more human than your current body, do you not think you are downgrading?"
A sharp glare made itself known on the young man's face, making him look older than he should be.
"Unfortunately I have told you the conditions of this body, and I hate to repeat myself. This body may be strong, yet it cannot grow stronger. It was a design flaw I realized too late."
He turned, going back to absentmindedly clicking pieces together.
"It may be a long while before I find a way to create a perfect body, but that is why I enjoy this game I play with fate and death. My art challenges them, and eventually will conquer them. It will be a long battle, yet it will be everlasting in the end."
Konan frowned at his art rant, she always hated when him and Deidara would go off on these pointless talks of art. Art was nothing in the face of God. She chose not comment to that, only humming at his comment.
"How is the girl?"
Sasori looked over to Konan. Ah, she hid it so well. He thought of exploiting it right there and then, yet he knew she would close herself off and freeze her heart up if he commented on her attachment to the newest pawn. He would let her nonexistent emotions grow before he tried to use it against her.
"She has been excelling in ways that have surprised me." He said uncaringly, looking back to his work.
"The little girl may be useful yet."
Konan turned around, her cloak billowing after her.
"I am not surprised. I saw her eyes that night I first saw her. She is everything we need to complete our mission." Sasori's hummed lazily at her comment, yet an annoying tick in his eyebrow let itself show.
"I wouldn't get my hopes up on the brat. She may make a fine tool one day, but I do not think she will ever be more than that."
Konan made no comment as she glided up the steps and out of his room. The puppet-boy acted like she was never there in the first place.
"You've had your genin team for almost five years now, Rokusho-san. It says here you aren't entering them in this chunin exam either. Why is that?"
Although the young woman was younger than him, she stood proudly behind a desk, sharp eyes staring at the man, attempting to dissect him. As Aoi bowed, he rolled his eyes.
"Because they stink still," he muttered under his breath before sending her a charming smirk.
"I just don't think they are ready, Sada-sama. I mean, Shigure-sama is known as Hanzo's grandson, you don't want him to make a fool out of himself."
Sada tapped her long, sharp nails onto the desk in front of her, raising an eyebrow at Aoi's excuse.
"Mhmm, well. I think you have grown content with the idea of having a team that does all the work for you. For all your skills, you still can be unbelievably lazy."
Aoi sneered, looking at a wall. The girl thought she was really all that, even though she was chosen as Hanzo's heir, she barely knew the man with all his walls and guards. Old man was growing senile and crazy at his age, while he dumped all the menial work onto his granddaughter.
"So, Rokusho-san, I am vetoing your rejection for this year's examines and sending your team anyways."
"If you haven't forgotten, Sada-sama, I was undercover in Konoha. They will recognize them, especially since the Morino guy always helps out in the exams."
"I know that, I didn't say you had to go there. Shigure will go in your place as leader, he's old enough and it isn't required for a sensei to join them."
Aoi shrugged, trying not to grumble.
"Alright, fine, send them. Hope they die, not."
His voice was strained, he tried not to show his anger over her overruling him. She smirked.
"Good to see there is no problem. Send them word immediately, they will be heading out in three days times."
Sakura was zipping her qipao shirt up when Sheru walked in. Her eyes widened in surprise and she sent a stray book flying for his head.
"What are you trying to hide? There's nothing to see." He said plainly, this caused another three books to come flying at him. He dodged them easily, his face not changing.
"We have a side mission in Konoha."
They were about to leave in just an hour to Konoha. It was rather exciting for Sakura, since she had not left Ame since she was eight years old.
She put her gloves on, hiding her discolored hands, and figured out what Sheru meant and turned around to face him. Their relationship had not changed much of the past four years. While when on missions they got along, at least they worked well together where they didn't get in each other's way, usually bickering would ensue shortly after being left alone together.
Their ideals were completely opposite, she believed in teamwork and helping people, he could care less of any of those two. Even though Sheru was usually quiet, it seemed he couldn't help but get Sakura riled up and angry. It usually ended with a hole in the wall.
So far, there hadn't been any side missions from Konan, and Sakura sometimes forgot that they were in fact on a whole different mission and not just a regular team of Ame.
It didn't help she didn't even know why Konan wanted her to be here, only that she wanted her to become strong. She hadn't heard from the lady since the note at the bunker, which only read to graduate that coming semester.
"What is it?" She asked curiously, maybe this would hint at what Konan wanted her to do.
"There's a boy in Konoha, Uzumaki Naruto. We are to observe him, watch for weakness, anything different about him. We must break into another area, but I will tell you more about that when we get to that."
He seemed so casual about it, it could've been a suicide mission and Sakura didn't think his tone would change.
Shrugging, she grabbed her bag, checking the mirror to make sure she had her outfit in place. She wore a simple white top with a blue stripe going down the middle, like most Ame-nin, except it wasn't a jumpsuit like how Aoi or Shigure wore it. It was sleeveless and high collared. She wore tight black biker shorts, which ended knee-high and went into mesh armor until her standard shinobi shoes.
It was definitely more efficient then the rags she had on when she first started out, a lot more durable also. It was a bit bland, but Sheru had commented that anything bright would be bright and un-shinobi like, especially in Ame where everything was blue, green or gray. She still wish she had gotten something bright, she couldn't help but be attracted to bright colors like a moth on a flame.
Her Ame-forehead protector was used as a headband, which Sheru had made another rude comment at, but she ignored him that time.
Her hair was brushing her shoulders, she liked to keep it trimmed now after trying to have long-hair for a short period. It didn't work out with the rain, it was either frizzy or tangled, and always a mess.
Sheru definitely had a simpler outfit, navy colored shirt with a mesh under shirt that was seen a bit, standard shinobi pants and a cloak that wrapped around him, fur at the edges. His outfit did not change much from a child.
"Well, do we have a description of him?"
"Blonde hair, whisker marks."
"Whisker marks?" She asked, he better not be some weirdo.
"Their birthmarks apparently."
"Oh."
"We should head out, Shigure will be meeting us at the gates."
She rolled her eyes at his dismissive tone, and they walked outside before taking off towards the gate where twenty other teams waited for them.
Speeding through the gothic, dark city Sakura glanced over at Sheru. It made her mad how attractive he had gotten in the past few years, while she still felt like the only thing that defined her as a girl was her pink hair.
Every time they went on missions, ladies would attempt to squeeze his cheeks or give him any type of affection that he usually was quick to avoid. It didn't matter if they were young or old, woman flocked to him and his undeniable good looks, while every time Sakura had tried to flirt with guys it ended up in a big fail.
His eyes caught her intense one, making him raise an eyebrow. Her cheeks grew hot, as she childishly stuck out her tongue and focused on looking forward.
Shigure's tall and lanky figure waited ahead, as he leaned against a take-out stand. He was still handsome, even with his scars and missing eye, it seemed to make him more roguish to girls. The fact he was Hanzo's grandson helped a bit.
Sakura could only huff in irritation as girls from other teams came to congratulate the two on getting entered into the chunin exams, conveniently forgetting they did in fact have a third teammate.
At least Sheru completely ignored girls, Shigure was disgustingly affectionate however. She sighed in relief as Shigure finally signaled for them to head out. With one last look at the dark city of Amegakure, she headed out to the awaiting Konoha.
Here we gooooooooo!
Pops right into Chunin Exams, since I still believe this is the best place Sakura to be introduce to Konoha in a whole, including many members of it.
In many fics that have Sakura train/be somewhere else (Including my own), I always find that it's either exactly like Sakura was, but a lot weaker, or Hinata Hyuuga. Which I don't think really fits with the dynamic of the team. In the original team, Sasuke is smart, Sakura is super smart, Naruto is dumb. The only one that could probably replace her would be Ino, who was the top kid in the academy if I remembered correctly, but then that breaks up the dynamic trio of Ino-Shika-Cho. Hinata I don't believe is very smart, there is a reason why her father is so disappointed and why she is considered a bit of a failure to the clan, because she just isn't good (Not bashing on Hinata, just stating how I think it is). I feel like Hinata is the Neville Longbottom of Naruto, she isn't really to good at anything (Unless it's filler) until more towards the later parts of Shippuden. So this is how I'm going to kind of portray her, not necessarily weak, but just not confident in herself, which leads down to her not believing enough in her own strength.
Anyways, so that's that. Sai is the third teammate, because I image Danzo wants someone capable of making sure Sasuke or Naruto doesn't get in the wrong hands.
Then you have Sasori, and if you haven't guessed it yet, Sheru is Sasori, how are they connected? You'll find out more in detail in later chapters. Aoi is most likely not going to show up more, maybe a few more scenes but he's kind of down his part now.
Anyways, hope you like it!
~Apotheosis
