General Assembly
7:00 am Monday
The Great Hall, Hokage Tower
All unmarried nins on active duty aged 17 and above
Attendance mandatory
The reminder replayed in Sakura's head for probably the thousandth time since the notice was issued a month ago. It's been the talk of Konoha ever since.
Endless speculation and theories about The Notice, as it had come to be known, had swept through the ninja ranks. At the hospital cafeteria. By watercoolers outside conference rooms. In ramen joints and fancy restaurants. Academy offices. Training grounds. Team meetings. Ino even reported overhearing two customers discussing it as she manned the cash register at her family's flower shop.
Her friends had tried to wring some information out of her, being the Hokage's apprentice. But Tsunade was silent regarding the matter, and Sakura dared not ask. She'd tried fishing for details from Shizune, but the Hokage's assistant was equally mum, and had told her tactfully to just wait for the day of the assembly.
Sakura glanced at her bedside clock, 4:37am blinking bright red in the early morning darkness of her room. She had woken up well before the alarm she had set at five-thirty. Not that she had gotten much rest over the night. A mixture of curiosity, fear, and the feeling of impending doom wasn't exactly a recipe for a good night's sleep.
Even nins currently deployed outside Konoha were recalled and ordered to return to the village ASAP after accomplishing their missions. No further missions until after the assembly.
She heard this from Hinata, who said that she, Shino, and Kiba were on reconnaissance beyond their borders when they had received the order to wrap up quickly and head back home.
She wondered what sort of announcement could be that important that all adult nins had to be present, including those who were out on assignment.
Which meant that even Sasuke would be there.
Sakura sighed, remembering that moment after the war when he had touched her forehead with two fingers, a private and affectionate gesture she had never seen him do to anyone else. The uncharacteristically soft smile, the promise in his warm eyes. It had given her hope. But he hadn't said anything to her since then; not even a single message from his hawk. Maybe he had forgotten he even said anything to her in the first place. Maybe he had changed his mind about her, after realizing that he was merely carried by the emotions running high that day.
Plus, he was always away. Tsunade gave him assignments non-stop, one after the other. Partly as punishment for his crimes, and partly to allow him his wish to redeem himself.
Given that the forehead poke was a sign of affection among Sasuke's immediate family, maybe it meant he thought of her as a sister? Or that she reminded him of a cousin or something? Sakura sat up and shook her head in frustration. Ino's suggestion to hit the dating scene was sounding better and better. Start looking at other guys, she had advised, who were more physically and emotionally available. Ino and Tenten had a list of guys they wanted to set her up with, and were simply waiting for her go-signal so they could start making calls. Even Hinata offered to arrange dates with some of her single Hyuuga cousins, although Sakura wasn't sure how she felt about dating a guy who had prettier hair than she did.
She threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Might as well get dressed. Besides, she was supposed to meet the girls at six-fifteen. They had agreed to go to the general assembly together, an unspoken wish to be in the company of close friends whatever the Hokage's announcement or news may be. Sure, they were close to their respective male teammates as well, but being females in a profession such as theirs and being the only four girls in their cohort of thirteen, had forged a bond between them that was special in its own way. With their different schedules and mission duties, they made it a point to get together when all four of them were in the village at the same time.
Sakura's eyes landed on her red hitai-ate on the bedside table, shiny from regular care but scratched in several places from the many battles it had seen.
There have only been two general assemblies in her young kunoichi life. The first was a joint ceremony - a tribute to the deceased Sandaime and the inauguration of Tsunade-shishou as the Godaime.
The second was the declaration of the Fourth Shinobi World War.
The thought made her blood run cold. She had become a war veteran at the age of seventeen, even before reaching adulthood, and she prayed she would never again see another world war in her lifetime.
For the past couple of years they have been living in a time of peace, and there have been no reports, nor even rumors, of acts of aggression from their neighbors. Perhaps Tsunade-shishou would be announcing her retirement and naming her successor?
Sakura trudged to the bathroom. She would find out soon enough.
xxx
"Lovely day to start a Fifth World War, isn't it?" Ino joked darkly, as she, Sakura, Hinata, and Tenten met inside the Yamanakas' flower shop.
Hinata's already-pale skin paled even further, bordering on a deathly pallor. "Ino-chan!"
"It's fine. If we say it, maybe we jinx it and it doesn't happen?" Tenten offered grimly, no doubt remembering how close her fiancé Neji came to dying, the gaping injury in his chest nearly irreparable. It had taken the combined efforts of Tsunade, Shizune, and Sakura to heal him back to life.
Sakura's stomach churned. Despite Ino's attempt at gallows humor, her blonde best friend wasn't faring much better; she had just absent-mindedly snipped a rose petal rather than a discolored leaf. "But why only unmarried nins, though?" Sakura asked.
Ino had a theory. She had brought it up in her first conversation with Sakura about The Notice, and she repeated it for the benefit of the other girls. "Maybe it's to spare innocent kids from losing their parents in war? Send only the single and unmarried ones like us so less people miss us."
Tenten stares at Ino. "You need a break from Torture & Interrogation duties, my friend. Your mind is getting too cynical."
"Maybe Tsunade-shishou is retiring, and she'll announce Kakashi-sensei as the Rokudaime." It was Sakura's preferred explanation, one that didn't involve death and widespread damage.
"But that doesn't explain the 'unmarried' part, Forehead," Ino pointed out. "If your theory is correct, then why leave out the genins and some of the chuunins if it's just a turnover ceremony?"
Hinata glanced at the time, and briefly activated the Byakugan to scan outside. "It's almost seven. A lot of people are already on their way."
"Let's go, girls," Sakura said with forced cheer. "Let's get this over with."
xxx
The Great Hall was a cavernous chamber, circular and airy, with a high ceiling that curved into a dome. The place was filled with nins milling around, talking, laughing, catching up. It was significantly less full, however, than it was two years ago when Tsunade officially declared that they were at war.
There was an undercurrent of extra energy now that the awaited day was here, a palpable buzz that pervaded the room. Sakura was suddenly grateful that she and the girls had gone together. A tight, clammy squeeze on her arm indicated that Ino was, too.
Sakura spotted a shock of black hair on a tall, imposing figure in a black cloak near the left corner of the hall, conversing quietly with Shikamaru. Her wayward heart beat faster, as if recognizing who it truly belonged to. Sasuke-kun's here. Embarrassed at how easily she was drawn to him, she averted her eyes before he could catch her staring. Naruto was near the two dark-haired shinobi, but listening only halfheartedly to the serious discussion, paying more attention to Kiba's animated narration of something. Lee was slapping Neji's shoulder in laughter over his own joke, oblivious to the Hyuuga prodigy's pained wince. Whether from his injury or the joke, she couldn't tell.
Kakashi-sensei was at the center of the room with Anko, Iruka, Gai, and a few other older jounin from his generation she wasn't acquainted with because they weren't her instructors at the Academy.
There were only two ninjas in all of Konoha with the skill and the top-level clearance to go on S-Rank missions alone, with no team and no backup. One was Hatake Kakashi, widely believed to be the next Hokage. The other was Uchiha Sasuke.
Naruto, for all his raw power and immense chakra reserves, was not allowed to go on missions alone. The tailed beast inside him was a living weapon of mass destruction, making him an invaluable commodity that could change the fate of nations, so to let him go unprotected was too high a risk. And the second, more unofficial reason was that Naruto had an alarming and very stressful tendency to stray from any plan and try to talk-no-jutsu anyone who would listen.
That both Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun were here, when protecting the fledgling peace from afar was paramount, highlighted the importance of what Tsunade was going to say.
"Nins of Konoha."
Tsunade's voice boomed over the Great Hall. Clear, resonant, commanding. The room fell silent, all eyes on the Godaime standing in the balcony of the second floor, overlooking the assembled crowd below. Her ageless, elegant face was serious and impassive, eyes sharp as they swept over her gathered constituents. She might indulge in drinking and gambling, but in times like these, she was every inch a Kage when it mattered. There was a weight to her presence, a gravitas befitting a woman of her power and accomplishments. Sakura felt a surge of pride in her mentor.
"The recent Fourth Shinobi World War was the most devastating in the history of the Five Nations," the Hokage began. "The worst in terms of damage and loss of life." The somber tone wasn't lost on the crowd, and a pall fell over the room.
"As you all know, we have suffered heavy losses. Not just us, but all the villages who took part in the War. We won, yes, but at a terrible price. A price paid in the blood of fathers, mothers, children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, friends and comrades.
"I believe that a ninja village's greatest asset is its people-" There was an audible note of pride in Tsunade's voice, and Sakura thought she detected a slight hitch, a sliver of emotion. She had spent countless hours being trained by Tsunade, and had come to be familiar with her many subtle changes in tone.
"And so, more than the buildings, more than the economy, the worst consequence of the war was the manpower we lost, the men and women who died so that Konoha may live.
"The Five Kage met last month to discuss the aftermath of the war and its far-reaching consequences, gravest of which is the decimated ninja citizenry. We are at a record low in terms of population, the lowest in our history. Now, more than ever, we need to ensure the continued existence of the villages. In consideration of this - "
Tsunade took a deep breath and let her eyes rest on the crowd for a moment, as if gearing for their reaction.
Sakura tensed, wondering where this was going.
"The Five Kage have unanimously agreed to impose a Marriage Law on our respective villages. All unmarried shinobi aged 18 and above, and all unmarried kunoichi aged 18 up and in their childbearing years, are hereby mandated to enter into a marriage contract and produce at least one child to be dedicated in service to the village."
The Great Hall erupted in a cacophony of voices.
Some were simply staring at their Hokage in shock.
The four girls looked at each other in stunned silence.
All around them people were talking, asking, raising their concerns at the same time.
"But I'm single –"
"How about those already engaged?"
"Can I make my boyfriend marry me?"
"What if we just started dating –"
"But I'm not dating anyone right now!"
The Hokage held up her hand. The room quieted. No one wanted that hand to curl into a fist and bring the building down on their heads.
"Although the decision to enact the Marriage Law was unanimous, we could not agree on how it will be implemented. Thus, the Five Kage have elected to impose in their respective villages their own rules, regulations, and mechanics as they see fit.
"The Tsuchikage, for example, is considering the arranging of all matches." She paused to let that sink in on the crowd.
Hinata shifted nervously. Sakura knew that the famously traditional Hyuuga clan still sometimes arranged matches for their members, and that Hinata hoped she would marry for love rather than end up in a match arranged by her father.
"Yeah, well, good luck to anyone negotiating with my father over me," Ino chuckled dryly.
"That's positively archaic!" Tenten said in a loud whisper, loud enough for only them to hear, brown eyes sparking.
Sakura supposed it made sense. The Third Tsuchikage was ancient, the oldest of the Five Kage. He was even older than the deceased Third Hokage. Arranged marriages were a thing of his time and generation, so it wasn't entirely surprising that he would think of it as his method of implementation for the Marriage Law.
"In Kiri, the Mizukage has decided to impose an absolute lottery to determine all marriage matches, regardless of existing relationships. She is of the view that a random draw for everyone would be the most fair."
Sakura's jaw dropped, and Hinata wore a similar expression. But Tenten and Ino looked especially nauseous. Tenten was already engaged to Neji, and the war made Ino realize that the love she was looking for was under her nose the whole time since childhood, much to Shikamaru's annoyance that she hadn't figured it out earlier. To break both couples up and pair them with a lottery pick was a terrible scenario. Sakura hoped, for her friends' sake, that Tsunade wouldn't go the same road as the Mizukage.
Kiri had notoriously harsh laws, beginning with their Chuunin Exams. Apparently it applied even to their Marriage Law.
Uneasy murmurs broke out amongst the assembly. Would the Hokage impose the same thing?
"And I -" the Hokage began, "have decided on a hybrid implementation." Her mouth twitched at the multitude of panicked expressions. "Don't worry. I will not be breaking up any existing arrangements.
"All engaged couples are to wed as soon as possible. Those dating or in relationships are encouraged to formalize your liaison with an engagement and subsequent wedding. You are to come to my office to register your names in the official list.
"To those who are currently seventeen years old, start thinking of your future spouses this early, so as to be more ready and prepared when you reach eighteen.
"Now, to the next point. I am aware that many of you are currently single and unattached. I know you are wondering how that will be addressed. So, my decision is this - the single and unattached nins have three options:
"First: declare for someone, who may or may not accept;
"Second: accept and agree to someone who has declared for you;
"Third: if you neither wish to declare for someone nor accept someone's declaration and proposal, you will put your name in the lottery in which case the match will be drawn randomly.
"As with the affianced couples, you are to come to my office to indicate your intended, or to put your name down for the lottery.
"There will be tax breaks for those with one child, in an increasing scale for each succeeding child. There will be subsidized child care, and additional benefits like allowances and paid leave.
"Failure to comply will result in imprisonment, and you will be stripped of your ninja rank and all its attendant rights, privileges, and benefits. The only exception to this would be to present a medical certificate, upon completion of a thorough physical examination, that you are physically incapable of siring, conceiving, or bearing a child."
Tsunade's tone softened after that penalty provision.
"As your Hokage, let me ask this of you – consider this a mission of the highest order and of the utmost importance. It is one of the greatest acts of service you can do for your village. Ensure its continued existence. Contribute to its strength. Build its future. Create the next generation of nins who will carry on the Will of Fire."
Framing it that way, calling upon their loyalty, sense of duty, and patriotism, the Hokage sounded tremendously convincing. Glancing around the room, Sakura saw on many faces that they were feeling the same way.
"I will be posting an official copy of the law on the bulletin board of the Great Hall. And my office will be open for registration of your names every day beginning this Friday at eight o'clock in the morning. In the meantime, I suggest you start giving some serious thought about your future spouse and marriage."
With that, Tsunade adjourned the assembly and left the balcony to return to her office, white Hokage robes billowing behind her.
The nins in attendance began to thin out and disperse. Some stayed behind, buried in discussion with friends. Some left, deep in thought.
Sakura, Ino, Hinata, and Tenten turned to each other.
Sakura needed to process this. She had thought of getting married, once. Back when she was a genin, her head filled with notions of fairytales and fancy dresses. But as she had grown older, harder, and wiser to the ways of the world, she had stopped daydreaming about it. She had been too occupied with training and her apprenticeship. Getting better and stronger. Then the war came, followed by the surprisingly time-consuming business of recovery and rebuilding, which derailed even further any thought she might have had about settling down.
"You guys free? Maybe we can go somewhere to talk," Sakura suggested.
Everyone said yes, eager to say what's been on their minds.
"Yes, let's," Ino said, tone brisk. "How does Tsumura sound?"
The girls exited the Great Hall in a huddle, heading to their favorite café for an emergency girls-only meeting.
Absorbed in the frantic discussion with her friends, Sakura failed to notice a pair of mismatched eyes following her out the grand wooden doors.
xxx
"If I don't find someone, my father will be the one to find someone for me."
"You don't need to find anyone, Hinata-chan," Ino said before shoveling a spoonful of pudding. "We know it's Naruto you want. Why don't you ask him before someone else does? Or if you can't ask him face-to-face, go to Godaime-sama's office and declare for him."
Sakura nodded in complete agreement. She knew for a fact that her blond teammate said Hinata was very pretty, and had invited the Hyuuga heiress to Ichiraku several times. But Hinata thought they were just friendly invitations, the same thing as Naruto dragging Sakura and Sasuke to the said ramen place. Sakura kept pointing out that Hinata was the only female non-teammate he would bring to Ichiraku. It was practically a declaration of love and lifelong bonds in Naruto-speak.
Hinata wrung her hands over her half-eaten cinnamon roll. "Do you really think I have a chance with Naruto-kun?"
Sakura goggled at Hinata. "What! Of course you do! If anything, it should be Naruto agonizing over whether he has a chance with you."
Hinata gave her a small but grateful smile. "Thank you, Sakura-chan." Hinata's smile grew bigger as she looked at Tenten. "It seems I'll get to be an auntie sooner than I expected," she teased gently.
Tenten blushed. "Neji and I were planning to get married in around two years, but it looks like we'll have to move the date earlier. I hope you guys can help me with the wedding planning." This was met by a chorus of enthusiastic "Yes, of course!"s.
"Just let me know when you need to pick your flower arrangements," said Ino, "So I can take a day off from T&I and be there at the shop."
"Yay! Thanks," Tenten said. She took a bite of her lychee jelly. "I suppose you'll be talking to Shikamaru soon?" She waved her spoon in the air excitedly.
"For sure. Shika and I like getting straight to the point."
Sakura giggled. "Took you seventeen years to get straight to the point about your feelings!"
Ino swatted her before turning serious, a shadow of doubt falling across her face. "You don't suppose Shika would change his mind, would he?"
Sakura patted her friend's arm reassuringly. "You know how Shikamaru-kun is. I'm sure he's planned for a hundred scenarios between you and him before he even confessed his feelings."
"And," Tenten added, "it would be too troublesome for him to get to know another girl as deeply as you, all over again. Too much effort, too much hassle."
Ino brightened. "That's true." Her head swiveled to Sakura. "Why don't you declare for Sasuke? Waiting for him to make a move might take forever. Maybe he'll agree. You're the closest girl to him," she encouraged.
The thought did cross Sakura's mind. "I did think about it," she admitted. "But no." Her voice was soft, but sure. "I don't want to force him into anything. Even if he says yes, I'll never know if he really wanted to, or if he agreed just because I asked and was the one available." She would rather that they be with other people rather than pressure him into an unwanted marriage with her. She might never completely get over the heartbreak, but what mattered was that he was happy. That he was home, here in Konoha. That they were friends, at least. That he was healthy, and on his way to healing.
xxx
Shizune announced Sakura's arrival at the Hokage's office early Friday afternoon. Sakura stepped in, ready with her decision. Tsunade looked up from signing a mission order.
"I'd like to put my name in the lottery, Shishou."
Tsunade gave her apprentice a thoughtful glance before signing another mission order. "That won't be necessary."
Sakura furrowed her brow in confusion. "But I thought –"
"Someone declared for you, Sakura." Tsunade interrupted her. Sakura was too surprised to notice the Godaime's shift in expression, an upward quirk of her mouth in the smallest hint of a smile. "You have been spoken for. You need only to agree. If you don't agree, then that's when you can enter the lottery. Unless some other shinobi declares for you again and you agree, or you declare for a particular shinobi and he agrees."
Recovering from her shock, she rapidly thought of possible admirers, much less someone who would even consider binding himself willingly to her in marriage.
There was a good-looking fellow medic who bought her a cup of coffee last week, and had walked her home once. Kiba had suggested going on a date with her a year ago, but it had seemed completely in jest. And wasn't he interested in a kunoichi with a cat companion? Lee sent her a huge wreath of flowers on her birthday. Her eyes widened in apprehension. "Is it Lee?" It came out in a whisper. She was almost afraid to hear the answer. But then, he was kind and sweet, even if he was a little too exuberant -
"No, but he did try. He came to my office five minutes too late. And he was here at 8:05."
Sakura blinked at her master. "What? Th-then who?" She was more curious now, rather than anxious. Who would go to the Godaime's office at precisely eight o'clock when it opened, to declare her as his intended before anyone else?
Tsunade put down her pen and watched her carefully, fingers steepled under her chin.
Sakura waited.
Tsunade leaned forward, not breaking eye contact.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
Then everything went quiet in Sakura's head.