AN: Note that I do not own Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, or any of the characters from either Anime. This work is a fanfiction written out of my love for the series and not in any attempt to make a profit.
Proofread by: Me!
Once more, I miss my mark by Sakura having yet to reach the hospital. Fortunately, I don't think much more could postpone it, so the next chapter really should be it. There is an astonishing lack of canon information about Sakura's parents, like for example their occupation or views about Sakura being a Shinobi. Fortunately, there is an episode that does show them interacting with Kakashi before he becomes team seven's Sensei in Shippuden, and there's a slight implication that they might be tea salesmen, but it is far too vague and I would say that they don't look much like it. All I could gain from it is that they were rather friendly and cheerful people when the Hokage and Kakashi came over. I know there's a movie where they have a more active role, but it isn't based on their canon selves, as they are Shinobi and only appear in that universe. I believe the movie is "Road to Naruto" but I can't be sure, as I haven't actually seen it, I plan to do so eventually.
Chapter 30: Haruno Household, blooming hope
Sakura trusted her parents, as such, when they asked her to explain, she didn't hold anything back. Once more, she told them about the Chūnin exam, this time including the details she had previously omitted or changed to cover for her Kekkei Genkai. She explained to them how she had taken a hit meant for her teammate, how this had turned to her getting a cursed mark placed on her, and how this led to her Kekkei Genkai awakening. She told them about her mental battle against Orochimaru, how Inner revealed to her that she had been aware before the awakening of her Kekkei Genkai, but to a lesser degree. She explained how upon waking up, she was once more forced to fight in a deadly confrontation, and how she had won with startling success, using her Kekkei Genkai. She didn't hold anything back, and her parents listened carefully, offering their sympathy as she shared her more vulnerable and regretful moments, smiling as she told them about team seven's new friend, Karin, and thankfully accepted the revelation about Inner's existence by accepting her as a second daughter.
Eventually, Sakura reached the end of her tale, explaining to her parents that she would be going to the hospital in order to go through a full examination concerning her abilities and specifics concerning her Kekkei Genaki, as well as what being the only one with her unique Kekkei Genkai could mean for her career and their family, unless she found a way to appease the council in a way that let her remain a Shinobi. Once she told them about what currently seemed like the plan most likely to succeed, her parents immediately objected.
"Sakura, my baby, you can't be serious! Such a thing, on someone so young, there has to be another way! They can't force you and Inner to do something like that!" Her mother, Mebuki, insisted, uncomfortable with the idea that Sakura would go under the knife to donate her eggs to be preserved in case of her death, allowing her Kekkei Genkai to remain even if she didn't survive. Not to mention what it would mean for their family and family relations from whatever children came from such a course of action. Any of the possible children that would come out from such a deal, they would all be raised for war, regardless of their own interests.
Sakura's father, Kizashi, grunted in agreement. "The Council Members are hypocrites if they intend to keep you from continuing your career. The only reasonable one of them is the Hokage. During war times, they wouldn't have hesitated to send someone like you to the front lines." He explained, before sighing and looking at Sakura. "I don't like this idea Sakura, at all. There simply must be a way, are there no other options? You mentioned that this is how the Uchiha got their way for getting the Council of their backs, but what about the other clans? The Hyuuga's for example. Do they have the same solution, or something else?" He asks her, and Sakura finds herself surprised to realize she didn't know. With a little bit of hope beginning to bloom inside her, she happily hugged her father.
"Oh god dad, you're right. I should look into what the other clans have as a solution concerning the Kekkei Genkai. All of them can't have chosen the same path." Sakura said excitedly, missing the sigh of relief and thankful look her mother gave her father who happily hugged Sakura back, acknowledging his wife's thanks with a nod.
"Of course, we're here to support you, both of you. After all, Sakura, Inner. We want you to be happy, so if there's a way, we will help you find it." He promised her, as Sakura tightened her hug around him and he let out a satisfied chuckle as the atmosphere became far more pleasant.
"Well then, I suppose we'll have to revisit this topic once you've explored the possibility of using other methods. Now, about your new friend, Karin. Do you know where she's staying? I think it'd be a good idea to meet with her, the poor girl seems to have gone through a lot, and I want to meet her." Mebuki told Sakura, who nodded.
"The boys did tell me that she had gone back to Konohagakure to have her wounds checked by a professional after her match. I did heal her, but not completely, and apparently, she wanted to make sure everything was fine." Sakura explained, thinking about it before nodding to herself. "I'll see if I can find her at the hospital later." She decided, her parents happy with her decision.
"Why don't you invite your teammates as well? We could all celebrate you passing onto the final part of the exam." Kizashi suggested.
Sakura considered his decision together with Inner, almost immediately concluding that it would be a great idea. Neither of them had a family to celebrate with, after all, so she was certain they'd appreciate the invitation. Well, Sasuke was a wildcard, but they'd like to believe they had managed to become close enough for him to accept out of courtesy at the very least.
"And doesn't that say a lot about him? Sasuke needs to come out of his shell, for his own sake." Inner decided, and Sakura agreed. While both Naruto and Sasuke were lonely, there was a big difference in their loneliness. Naruto would let pretty much anyone into his life, as shown with Karin, while Sasuke had trouble even acknowledging his teammates as friends. As much as Sakura hated to admit it, Naruto was probably managing to do a lot more for Sasuke than she was. Inviting them was a great way for her to support them both.
"That sounds great, I'll invite them tomorrow when we meet up, is that fine?" Sakura asked, getting a happy nod from her father and a smile from her mother.
"Of course, we'll make sure to cook plenty of food to celebrate with. Do you know what their favorite is?" Mebuki asked, and Sakura couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
"Oh, Naruto is easy. All he eats is ramen. Anytime he decides what to eat, it's ramen." Sakura responds, amused, getting an amused laugh from her father as he hears of Naruto's obsession with ramen. "As for Sasuke, omusubi with okaka and tomatoes," Sakura explained, glad to have figured it out previously so that they could make sure he at least enjoyed the food when she invited him.
"Alright, I'll make sure to prepare some for them. If you find Karin, try and ask her what she enjoys as well." Mebuki suggested, and Sakura nodded in agreement, deciding to do so, even if she didn't find her at the hospital.
"Then, how about we come with you to the hospital?" Her father suggested, and Sakura immediately shook her head, glad for the offer, but not really interested in having her parents worry as she went through the entire process.
"No, it's fine. Kakashi will be there with me, and I'm pretty much certain it will just be a regular checkup, just a bit more throughout, nothing to worry about." Sakura assured them, not willing to distract them from work or make them worry about her results while sitting there with her. Although, mostly she was a bit apprehensive about introducing her parents to Kakashi, as she felt it would only end with her being embarrassed about it. Thankfully, she wouldn't be inviting him together with the rest.
"Yeah, he'd just end up showing up late anyways, or not be that interested, to begin with." Inner agreed.
"Oh, well then. If that's the case, why don't you invite him as well then, as thanks for always looking after you? I'm sure your Sensei would appreciate the invitation to celebrate with us all." Her father suggested, and Inner realized that she had ended up jinxing them. Imagining her parents meeting Kakashi, Sakura was horrified about the possibility that he would get bored during their celebration and pull out his Icha-Icha book to read while at their home. It'd be Kakashi who'd be embarrassing her rather than her parents!
"Oh, I don't know about that, I don't think my Sensei is all that interested in celebrations. I can ask him, but I won't promise anything." Sakura tried to convince her parents, while Inner shouted her real thoughts in their mind.
"Like hell, we will!" Inner exclaimed, filling Sakura with determination to prevent any future meetings as well. Only to nearly lose it from her mother's response.
"Oh dear, and he seemed like such a nice guy when he was over last time. He's a mysterious type, isn't he, covering one of his eyes and always wearing that mask. He didn't speak much, but he was very polite." Mebuki revealed.
"Ah, yes. He's a bit of a legend as well, isn't he? I heard he's a genius who graduated from the academy at the age of five and became a Chūnin at the age of six. I can hardly believe it, but it is apparently true." Kizashi revealed, and Sakura wondered how much her parents' image of her Sensei would crash and burn if they knew him as well as she did.
"Right, well, we'll see if he decides to come by. Now I have to get ready before he comes to pick me up, so I have to hurry." Sakura tells them, trying to make up an excuse to leave and end the conversation, only to look at the clock in the kitchen and realize that she was already fifteen minutes late. "Oh crap, I'm already late!" She exclaimed, before rushing to her room, grabbing a comb to fix her hair slightly, before rushing back over to the door. "I'm going now, love you, mom, love you, dad, bye!" She quickly said her farewells to them and left, much to her parents' amusement at her hasty retreat.
Exiting their apartment, Sakura didn't even have time to look around before being startled by Kakashi's presence as he spoke up. "You're late. I didn't think I was already beginning to rub off on you." He told her, giving her an eye smile from behind his book, before putting it away.
"Oh god, don't scare me like that!" Sakura complained, only to see Kakashi seemingly become even more amused at her complaint.
"What do you mean Sakura? I've been here for nearly fifteen minutes, and you're the one who only just now chose to come out. How is it that I scared you?" He inquired, knowing full well what she had meant.
"Oh stop it. I was talking with my parents about my Kekkei Genkai and that the Council would want me to retire as a Shinobi. I just lost track of time." Sakura explained, a bit aggravated with him pointing out her being late, despite being late himself nearly every time. "Dad actually brought up a good point. The idea we had was based on what the Uchiha clan has set up with the Council, but what about other clans? How do they deal with their own Kekkei Genkai in case something happens with their clan?" Sakura inquired, glad to see her success in changing the topic as Kakashi adopted a thoughtful look.
"Hmm, yes. That's certainly a good idea, although frown what I know, few of them would really apply to your situation. The Hyuuga clan has plenty of civilians with the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai and a method for keeping the Byakugan from being stolen upon death if I recall. I'm certain that if we inquire about it, they might be willing to share some of the options they considered as well when they had to hammer out the details concerning their Kekkei Genkai and the laws imposed upon it." Kakashi mused, before gesturing for Sakura to follow him as he walked down the stairs. "However, for now, we need to head to the hospital for your checkup. We'll take the quick way across the roofs so as to not be late." He told her, before jumping onto the roof of the building as he reached the street.
Following Kakashi by using the wall walking technique, Sakura ran up the side of the building and leaped onto the roof to join her Sensei who had already begun charting a route to the hospital from there. Seeing Sakura join him, he nodded at her before signing for her to follow him and set off. Wasting no time, Sakura followed suit.
"We can swing by the Hyuuga compound on our way back from the hospital," Kakashi suggested as they ran. Sakura began reconsidering her hasty decision not to invite him. After all, he was doing a lot to help her out.
AN: In all honesty, I have a nagging suspicion that I am forgetting something, somewhere throughout this entire chapter. If someone can point out what it is, then please do. In this chapter, I explored Sakura's dynamic with her parents, and I can't be entirely sure I got it right or made it entirely natural. I might end up going back and editing this chapter, but until I have some proofreaders have a look at it with some proper feedback, I can't be certain. Hopefully, the feeling I'm forgetting something is nothing but a false alarm, I was rather tired while writing this chapter, and didn't realize it until afterward.