Chapter TEN

Sakura's second binding, as promised, was with Rin.

It was set up the exactly same way, though this time, it was held in Rin's favorite clearing in the forest. Yagura had complained about the humidity and the state of Sakura's kimono, but had helped with setting up. Rokuro had, of course, agreed to help and the three of them also managed to rope Izuna into it by suggesting that he would need the knowledge if he ever wanted Sakura to establish a link with him too.

"I am nowhere near as powerful as Yagura." Rin said. "Me taking over your body will probably offer you nothing more than a small boost in chakra and some medical ninjutsu."

Sakura opened her mouth, not sure of what she had been going to say, but Rin had cut her off.

"But-" She took a deep breath. "But, I was still a child when I fought in the war. I think I can understand what you will go through during battle. Yagura is probably more than enough to care for you on the battlefield. I can be your emotional support." She took Sakura's hands and smiled. "I'll always be there for you."

Sakura stared at their linked hands for a moment before she nodded slowly. "Okay." She murmured quietly. She nodded. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "Thank you."

Rin's smile widened. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's shoulders and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "Any time."

A familiar, comforting warmth spread through her and Sakura did not even have to open her eyes to see the thorn marks growing.

As promised, Rin joined her in the Academy once every few days. She somehow managed to balance out Rokuro's We're-all-in-this-together-so-I-shall-relay-all-the-test-answers-to-you policy, Yagura's Brat's-should-learn-to-do-things-themselves policy and Izuna's I'll-tell-you-what-I-think-are-the-answers-though-I'm-not-sure-if-they're-correct policy with her Try-first-and-if-you-don't-get-it-then-I-will-teach-you policy.

Funny how no one had thought of that.

Indra appeared a couple of times after that. He never spoke, but he nodded in greeting every time he saw her and after a couple of times, Sakura was able to return it.

She had yet to interact with Asura, and for that, she was grateful.

She could only do this one at a time.

Group work was still limited and so far, Sakura had only had to work with Sasuke once.

That would soon change, though, because Iruka had warned them the previous day that he would be putting them into groups tomorrow to do a short report on the time of Konoha's founding.

Sakura walked into class that morning, dread pooling in her stomach. It wasn't so much the subject, but the fact that she would have to work with others. While it didn't particularly bother her, it was difficult to work with people that shied away from you.

The next day, Iruka had the students stand up began putting students into groups before directing them to sit together at a table.

Kaito was put in a group with the Yamanaka girl and two civilian born boys. Hajime sat down with a civilian born girl and two other boys, one of them being the Inuzuka heir.

Sakura stayed in the shadows until she heard her name being called.

'You're as unlucky as ever, aren't you?' Yagura commented drily.

Sakura looked around and her gaze landed on the table Iruka was pointed at. Uchiha Sasuke, Nara Shikamaru and Hyuuga Hinata stared back at her.

'Come on, Sakura-chan.' Rin smiled sympathetically. 'It can't be that bad.'

'You don't believe that, do you?' Yagura asked.

Rin scowled.

'Come on, Kura-chan!' Izuna called and waved her over. 'Sit here'. He patted on the free seat.

"Sakura?" Iruka asked.

"Ri-right." Sakura moved forward robotically and sat down next to Shikamaru.

Iruka nodded and put the last few people into groups. He then began allocating each group a particular subject. He stopped in front of them, glanced at his noted, then said, "You guys get Senju Tobirama."

Izuna groaned. 'What? Why?'

"Because he said so." Sakura was not in the mood to entertain Izuna.

'Tobirama sucks and everything.' He used his fingers and made a face. 'He always looks like this and it's worse when he smiles.'

'I guess the Uchiha are rude by nature.' Yagura said.

'Hey!' Izuna got into his face. 'In case you missed your history lessons, Senju Tobirama killed me.'

'Good for you.' Yagura floated over to Sakura.

'You little-' Izuna placed his hands together and Yagura tensed at the threat. He landed on his feet and his hands moved towards each other.

'That's enough.' Rin said sternly. 'In case you've forgotten, we're at a school and you two are disrupting Sakura-chan's studies with your childish arguing.'

Yagura made an expression similar to a pout and Izuna looked away pointedly.

"Uh, Haruno-san?"

Sakura blinked and turned back to her group. It was Shikamaru that had called her. "Sorry, yes?"

Shikamaru tapped the scroll in front of him, which Sakura could now see was a plan of their report. "Do you have any ideas?" He asked. "So far, all we've got is 'looking into clan archives for records'."

"The Uchiha and the Senju aren't on good terms." Sasuke began slowly. "I think all our records are pretty biased."

'Oh, he speaks.' Yagura muttered.

"I-I think the Hyuuga archives mi-might have something." Hinata said quietly.

"We've met him once, haven't we?" Sakura asked. She ignored the looks her group mates sent her. She wasn't talking to them anyways.

Yagura nodded. 'Once.'

"Do you think he'd be willing to let us ask questions?'

'Don't bother.' Izuna said. 'He'll let you ask, then refuse to answer.'

'Tobirama-sama had an elder brother.' Rin said. 'I remember hearing that Hashirama-sama was much more laid back, character wise.'

'I see the serious younger brother, carefree older brother thing is actually pretty common.' Yagura said. He shot Izuna a look. 'In most cases, anyways.'

Sakura waved her hand to stop the upcoming argument. "Do you know where I can find him?"

'Him? Hashimara?' Izuna asked.

Sakura nodded.

'I've seen him before.' Rin chirped up. 'He always gives a speech on the say the peace treaty between the Senju and the Uchiha were signed.'

'That's half a year away.' Izuna pointed out. He hesitated. 'Nii-sama might know.'

"Can you ask him?" Sakura asked.

'I...guess I could.' Izuna sighed. 'Okay.'

Sakura nodded, then turned back to her group mates. "I can get...primary evidence." She said slowly. "Maybe."

"You could?" Shikamaru asked.

Sakura nodded. "I'll try."

"Okay." To his credit, Shikamaru did not press or ask questions. "We'll leave that to you, then."

"You have another hour!" Iruka called. "Make sure finish allocating jobs by before lunch. You'll have the lesson after break to begin planning."

Sakura turned to Izuna. "Could you go ask now?" She asked.

Izuna sighed. 'Okay then.' He sighed again. 'I'll go buy a fish first.'

'Fish?' Yagura asked.

Izuna nodded and sighed again. 'Nii-sama likes fish. We had this fish pond in the compound. Now, he sits there and watched them. It's all he does these days. That, and going to eat with Hashirama.'

'I thought they were enemies?' Rin asked, eyes wide.

Izuna shrugged. 'Well, they've had a lot of years to talk things through.' He sighed again. 'I buy him fish before I ask him for a favor. The fishpond covers half the compound and nii-sama uses his Sharingan to memorize each and every one of them.' He sighed again. 'He's obsessed.'

He vanished in a puff of smoke.

Yagura burst out laughing and Rin soon followed.

Sakura bit her lip.

'The great Uchiha Madara is obsessed with fish.' Yagura did a back flip in the air. 'That is just-'

'Amazing.' Rin chirped in.

'Too bad we didn't get him.' Yagura took a deep breath. 'I can't wait for the time you learn about the Third Shinobi War.' He said. 'You learn about me, right?'

Sakura nodded. "I think we did."

Yagura hummed thoughtfully. 'I'll be expecting you to correct your classmates if they sprout wrong information.'

'You'll be biased, I bet.' Rin said.

Izuna returned just before lunch break started. 'Nii-sama said he's eating lunch with Hashirama. I can take you there.'

Sakura thought about this. "Okay."

Izuna glance out the window at the sun. 'We'll leave during your lunch break. Is that okay?'

Sakura nodded. "Okay, thanks."

It looks like she'd be taking a nap during lunch.

Here's chapter ten...meh.

Darque: So they're going to go stalk Tobirama. I like it.

Raven: I'm sure you would.

Darque: What does that mean?

Raven: Nothing.

Darque:...

Raven: Really, nothing.

Darque:...Fine.

Raven: Also, the fish thing is all made up.

Darque: And the Madara and Hashirama talking things out is also a lie, made true for the sake of this story.

Raven: Actually, we have no idea where we are going with this.

Darque:...You don't just say thing like that!

Raven: It's true. So, we'll greatly appreciate suggestions on who you want Sakura to meet and stuff.

Darque: Well, actually, yeah, I second that.

Read and Review~

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A STORY...PLEASE TELL US IF YOU KNOW IT.

- Sasori x Sakura, we think.

- High school AU

- They prank someone (Ino?). They knocked her unconscious and dump her in a bathtub full of dye, or something.

- Sakura says something about not really being friends with Ino and the others, and that they only want to be picked to go on an 'adventure', or something.

PLEASE TELL US IF YOU KNOW/FIND IT!