TH: Oo. What do you think this means? :)


Going Sideways


Chapter Fifty-six

Theme:: Sweet


Even if Jiraiya had given their report to Minato, Sakura still had to debrief with the Hokage after her mission. So after she had seen Jiraiya off at the gate, she went to the Tower and up to the office. Minato wasn't in a meeting, fortuitously, so Sakura was able to walk right in. Minato looked at her warily.

"Did Kakashi find you?" he asked.

"Yes," Sakura replied. "And no, I'm not mad at you. I don't like it, but I understand it was Itachi's choice."

Minato's shoulders relaxed. "Good. I'm glad; Itachi was concerned you would be upset with him."

Sakura's conscience twinged, because she had hurt him when she ran away from him. "We talked," she said. "And he explained his reasons… I can't hold him back from doing what he thinks it right, especially when he's convinced me that it is the right thing. I just… wish that it didn't have to be him doing the right things and putting himself in danger."

Minato was smirking by the end of her response, so she eyed him and said: "What?"

He rubbed a hand across his mouth, but failed to erase the smirk. "Oh nothing… Just that you sound like a parent. Little mother Sakura."

"You would know," Sakura shot back. Minato laughed.

"True. Once Naruto starts the Academy I think I'll just preemptively dye my hair gray. He's already driving me up a wall. The amount of trouble that kid can get into…" he shook his head.

"How is Naruto doing?" Sakura asked, suddenly desperate for some news. Minato smiled fondly.

"He's doing very well. He has two nannies who were former Chuunin, and he regularly runs them into the ground. I don't know if it's because of his tenant or if it's just because he's a child, but Naruto has nearly limitless energy. It's a full-time job just to keep up with him; which is why I hired the retired Chuunin."

Sakura knew that 'retired' for ninja did not mean old; ninja didn't often survive to that point. Instead, these ex-Chuunin were probably people who had been injured in such a way that they couldn't continue with the profession, or had decided that being a ninja wasn't the career they really wanted anymore. Curious, Sakura asked: "Who are they?"

"Kogoro Takeshi and Uchiha Kaede," he replied. "Takeshi-kun is mute and partially paralyzed on the right side of his body from an injury during the war, but he has a way with Naruto such that my little hellion barely gives him any trouble.

"Kaede was the mother of one of my students; she is a sweet woman who had never been particularly suited for our profession, but since she was an Uchiha… Well, she resigned as soon as she was married. I got to know her a little when her son was my student."

:Obito,: Sakura realized. :She's Obito's mother…:

"She fell into a depression when Obito died," Minato continued, "but I think being around Naruto has helped tremendously; I think he reminds her of Obito a little."

It also probably helped that she was an Uchiha, and the act of giving her responsibility for the Hokage's son's safety was a very strong show of trust and inclusion for the Uchiha. That was still probably a consideration, since Madara was still out there (and still wishing ill of both the Clan and Konoha), though Sakura was sure that it was far from Minato's primary reason; he wouldn't turn Naruto over to just anyone. If he was giving Kaede the position, then it was because he thought she was the best choice, regardless.

"And Naruto adores her," Minato said, his smile becoming a little sad. He was probably thinking of Naruto's mother and how much he regreted that she wasn't there.

"I'm glad Naruto is happy," Sakura said. "There haven't been any… problems, have there?"

"Nothing terrible," Minato sighed. "But some of the other children's parents don't let them play with Naruto. A lot of the civilians, because they don't quite understand the full theory of seals and don't know that the Naruto isn't the Kyuubi. And some ninja are having trouble separating the Jinchuuriki from the Bijuu emotionally, because they or someone they knew was hurt by the Fox and it's hard to look at a Jinchuuriki and not see the Bijuu they imprison, and be reminded of their loss and pain."

"I see," Sakura said, a little sadly. It made sense, what Minato said, but it was still upsetting that Naruto had to deal with that prejudice again. At least this time he had his father as a champion.

"Anyway," Minato shook his head. "Naruto's caretakers should be bringing him around soon; he usually visits me about now so that we can walk home together. If you want to stick around, you can see him again. You'll be surprised how much he's grown."

"Yes! I'd love to see him again," Sakura said. "It's been so long! I wonder if he'll remember me…"

"I think you're about to find out," Minato said smiling, as the sound of a ruckus outside the office was slowly growing. He stood up and starting coming around the front of his desk, just as the door slammed open and a small blond blur streaked inside.

"Oyaji! Oyaji! Oyaji!"

Sakura's heart seized, because that voice, that tone… It was pure Naruto. She caught her breath, feeling the recognition like a stab. Minato caught Naruto and laughed, spinning him around before setting his feet back on the floor. It was then that Naruto noticed Sakura, and blinked, grabbing his father's hand.

"Naruto, this is Sakura. Do you remember her? You met when you were really little," Minato said. Naruto stared at her intently for a moment… and then barked.

"Naruto…" Minato said warningly, clearing assuming that he was being rude. But Sakura… Her jaw dropped and her tail—previously lazily swishing—went still.

He barked… and it meant something. Minato couldn't hear it because he was human, but Sakura was a fox, and to her… Naruto was saying hello.