Chapter 4: Sumire and Sarada

Summary:

Sumire asks Sarada what happened the day she met Kawaki at the Taiyaki Shop. They have a private chat while Sarada walks Sumire to the Science Facility, Kawaki is not the only subject, Sasuke, Boruto, Lord Seventh, and some other names are mentioned, of course, the girls talk about themselves too. Things get uptight when Sumire is questioned about a piece of information she must keep a secret.

Notes:

This chapter begins on the same morning as the previous one's ending.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Back to the Cafeteria, the girls have agreed to settle the next meeting to be at Movie Theater, it was Chocho's idea. They got up and were about to leave. Team Fifteen began to talk about the mission they were going to do; Chocho was buying some extra candies for the training break. As they were waiting for Chocho to be done to say farewell, Sumire got closer to Sarada and talked to her in private:

_Hey, Sarada, did something happen the day before yesterday regarding Kawaki?

Sarada:

_Huh, well, maybe... Why are you asking?

Sarada thought: "Ow mine, Class Rep, sometimes you seem to read minds, did my face give me away? Oh, I had forgotten how insightful Sumire is!"

Sumire:

_Because I saw that you seemed concerned when Chocho mentioned you both met Kawaki and I also have met him on the same day. Then I was wondering.

Sarada:

_You met him the day before yesterday? What a coincidence, did you talk to him?

Sumire:

_I did, but he kept speechless ignoring me. I assumed I was an unpleasant company so I said farewell to make it brief. Today, on the other hand, he approached me and he was the one to start the conversation; actually, he asked why I stood up for him when I met Lord Seventh in Ryutan. I guess, after our last meeting, Lord Seventh must have told him I did so, therefore Kawaki was friendlier when we met today.

Sarada:

_I see, so what did you answer him?

Sumire:

_I said that I knew he has a good heart and deserved a better life opportunity. But let's come back to the subject, won't you tell me what else happened the day before yesterday, Sarada?

Sarada:

_All right, I'll tell you. But let's make it in private, maybe I can go with you till you say goodbye to Team Fifteen after meeting Hanabi Sensei and I tell you while we walk together to the Science Facility, sounds good?

Sumire:

_That's perfect, thanks Sarada-chan.

Then Cho-cho said goodbye to the other girls and they proceeded as Sarada's suggestion. Hanabi was happy to see Sumire and hugged her. They talked briefly so Team Fifteen left for the mission. Sarada then began to tell what happened the day she and Chocho met Kawaki and Naruto at the Taiyaki Store, she mentioned Kawaki choosing chocolate flavor instead of the custard one despite her suggestion and the fact he got really excited to eat it as it was his first time eating one. She also mentioned he refused to share one bite of his Taiyaki with her. Sumire was amused in listening to this part as Sarada was so annoyed while she was telling it that was something funny. However the conversation's tone got denser for the moment Sarada took a deep breath and began to talk with a serious look about Kawaki imminent attack using his ninja nanotech arm towards a poor kid that bumped in him, she said that gladly Lord Seventh stopped him, although not in time to avoid the horror provoked to the little boy. Sumire was chocked by hearing it, she asked:

_Do you think he really intended to harm the boy?! That can't be it...

_Oh, well, he said he was just teaching him a lesson about being careful because dangerous people may always be around... or something like that... I was so furious because of what he did to the kid that any answer he could give would make sense for me._ Sarada replied.

Sumire:

_Oh, I see.

Sumire sighed making an introspective expression, Sarada noticed that and gave her time knowing she was about to say something. Sumire and Sarada's friendship was unique since the Academy days. They used to understand each other just by the look in their eyes sometimes, despite their different personalities. Even by the time, Sumire was deceiving everyone to accomplish her father's will through Nue's power, her feelings of joy, worry, fear, anxiety, embarrassment were genuine and didn't pass unnoticed by Sarada. Sumire took about one minute to think and then she began to talk looking straight into Sarada's eyes:

_You know what? I know the lesson Kawaki was referring to was one lesson he learned by living it in flesh with no previous warning since a pretty young age. I mean, maybe he has been surrounded by harmful people even before he was under Kara's domain, but the fact is that Mr. Katasuke suspects Kawaki was about seven or eight years old when he first went through nanotech ninja implantation experiments. Furthermore, to be a rat lab probably was not the only painful thing he went through in Kara's hands.

Sarada reacted disturbed and replied to Sumire:

_Indeed he has passed through terrible things but it doesn't abide him to act violently. That little boy has done nothing wrong.

Sumire reacted sadly:

_You're right, Sarada, he needs to change this behavior, it is not easy to do it. But I have faith he was already started to do so. Lord Seventh and Boruto are there for him, he needs to feel he is not surrounded by dangerous people anymore so he will be able to use a language other than violence. Childhood traumas have deep consequences; most wounds are hard to get healed.

Sarada felt embarrassed, she looked away from Sumire:

_Ow, Class Rep, you are so sensitive about this sort of thing. I couldn't imagine this side of the story! I was just so mad at him. I could have been better, I even complained to him about what kind of childhood he must have had, then he replied "Sorry, I wasn't raised well". Shanaro! What a stupid thing to say to someone that has been abused since a young age. No wonder he had that panic attack at auntie Ino's Flower Shop.

Sumire:

_ Wait, what kind of panic attack?

Sarada looked back at Sumire and resumed the main event:

_ Oh, yeah, there is another thing that happened next. We went to Yamanaka's Flower Shop so Kawaki would choose a flower vase to be bought, he chose one and auntie Ino gave a bunch of flowers to be taken along with it, when she was about to put them inside the vase that Kawaki was holding, he suddenly dropped it as something had scared him to death, he activated the karma, but he was trying to put himself together, he even apologized, but his fear went stronger as he was hyperventilating and gasping. I was so scared when I saw that, auntie Ino was concerned about him, she said he shouldn't worry, then Lord Seventh reached him and calmed him down with a hug, his Karma went off and his breath normalized. Maybe it was that emotional trigger stuff you talked about..._Sarada became introspective.

Sumire let her friend conclude her report and replied with an investigative behavior:

_ Indeed, it seems to be a much more intense trigger though. I wonder what he saw at that moment. It seems like it awakens his worst memory. Maybe it is related to his Karma implantation, I have the feeling it must have been even worse than what happened to implant the Ninja NanoTech.

Sarada:

_Ahem. Either way, good thing he has Lord Seventh to look after him. He calmed down and Auntie Ino got another similar vase and gave the bunch of flowers separately to Lord Seventh to carry it. She was very nice to Kawaki, in the farewell she even said "handsome boys are always welcome", he wasn't able to respond with any kindness though. I tried to make him thanks to the compliment, it was helpless. It let me kinda mad. Maybe I overreacted, therefore when I was leaving I told Kawaki that if he ever needs help he could count on me. He just gave me a startled look and said nothing.

_That was very thoughtful of you, Sarada-chan! The thing is that he is not going to ask for help so you need to be proactive in this case._Sumire replied and blinked her right eye at Sarada.

_Sure thing. Therefore I was proactive yesterday when I went to Uzumaki's place to check on him, I even got Mitsuki with me._Sarada answered with an embarrassed smile.

_ This was so nice! How did things go there? Tell me everything!_ Sumire exclaimed joining her hands in joy and excitement.

Sarada talking a little more embarrassed:

_Huh, hehe. Well, despite the fact Mitsuki first words inside the house were "We came to spy on Kawaki, this was Sarada's idea"...

Sumire:

_Oh mine, Mitsuki!

Sarada:

_...things went reasonably well. Kawaki was all unfriendly and rude at first but he agreed to come with everyone as Lord Seventh proposed to spar with Boruto in the training field, even Himawari came with us. Only auntie Hinata stayed at the house. I just got scared when Kawaki activated his Karma and Boruto's Karma got activated in response, that's called resonation, it happened before when Kawaki was fighting a member of Kara. You have seen the report, haven't you?

Sumire replied:

_Yes, I did it after all the fuss in Ryutan.

Sumire thought: "I wonder if that was the first time Kawaki has killed someone..."

Sarada continued:

_So, that Karma thing can be really destructive. But Boruto managed it well in the sparring, he couldn't beat Lord Seventh but he was praised for his strength and agility even without the help of Karma. Kawaki said basically "Karma makes you stronger". If it was that simple though. We don't know what consequences it may have in someone's body, it could be self-harmful, couldn't it?

Sumire:

_You are very worried about Boruto, aren't you, Sarada?

Sarada slightly blushed and looked away:

_Ara , ara, someone must be! That Baka-Boruto is usually so reckless; I can't let him mess things up.

Sumire smiled:

_He is lucky to have you backing him up, Sarada.

Sarada looked back to Sumire and smiled embarrassedly:

_Well, I guess we have spent so much time talking about boys this morning. Let's talk about you now. How are things going at work with Mr. Katasuke?

Sumire cheerful:

_Ow, it's being great! Today will just be my third day, but I can already say that working directly with Mr. Katasuke is a new level of learning. He is a very supportive sensei and he gives his heart in his work, always joyful, besides being very bright and inspiring.

Sarada:

_Hehe, you are talking just like Miss Akita!

_Is that so? _ Sumire giggled_ Anyway, I am very excited to make a project that I've designed get to work, we are at the first steps in order to build the prototype. It's actually why Mr. Katasuke asked me to assist him here in Konoha, he saw my sketches and he got interested in my idea. He gave some improvements to it himself. It is kind of his thing, you know? He is so nice, I feel myself like his coworker despite I am lower in the hierarch.

Sarada:

_Cool. What is that project about? Will you tell me?

Sumire:

_ Sure. Our goal is to build a device able to store energy that can be converted into chakra to be used by a person. So it can be used either as a boost to increase shinobis power either as a recovery to the exhausted ones and it can be useful in the healing process, sure it could be applied in civilian life as well.

Sarada:

_That's amazing! I'm so proud of you, Class Rep, you'll be an excellent Ninja Scientist.

Sumire:

_Oh, thank you, Sarada-chan, I have a long way ahead though.

Sarada:

_I'm sure you will succeed. But, you still will have time to train with Nue, won't you?

Sumire:

_Well, it is a tight schedule, this first week I need to get used to my new routine with Katasuke Sensei, but I am saving some time for me and Nue too. Mostly we can be training in a special room in the facility, but I am planning to train more properly in the open field once a week, I still have to make the field reservation though.

Sarada:

_Good to know, after all, the reason you first join the Science Team was to help you get better synchronism with Nue, right?

Sumire smiled:

_Precisely. In fact, the inspiration to create my project was Nue ability to receive and transfer chakra from and to every being. If the device works it will be useful for our goal too. Besides, there are many other things where I can help others through science, so I have my mind open.

Sumire frowned:

_ ...Especially since...

Sumire thought: "Since Mr. Katasuke's half time is dedicated to unveiling that advanced ninja nanotech Kawaki had implanted to his body."

Sumire smiled again and concluded:

_...well, there are many possibilities. But, back to the training subject, tell me, are you excited to be learning from your dad?

Sarada:

_Absolutely! He can be awful about some father and daughter issues but when it comes to ninja especial skills he is awesome, not as much as Lord Seventh, however, there are things he is the only one that can teach me._ Sarada blushed.

Sumire smiled:

_You talk about your dad in a funny way, you can't compliment him without saying something bad along, it's almost the same way you talk about Boruto.

Sarada blushed even more and crossed her arms:

_Uhu?! Boruto has nothing to do with this. Well, it is enough annoying the fact that he simps for papa and has managed to become his student.

Sumire giggled and said:

_ I guess Boruto simps for your dad as much you for simps his.

Sarada:

_There's no way to compare our dads. Boruto was always complaining about Lord Seventh spending too much time at work that he didn't give him enough attention, so Boruto was always making trouble to be noticed. So immature. He should understand Lord Seventh was busy taking care of the Village; he was at home once in a while, Boruto should enjoy the time he had with Lord Seventh when he did that, but instead, he was just arguing with him.

Sumire:

_Ow, you know a lot about Uzumaki's daily life, don't you?

Sarada:

_Well, my mom is very close to auntie Hinata and to Lord Seventh as well.

Sumire:

_I see, you even call her auntie Hinata, as you call auntie Ino.

Sarada blushed:

_I used to call Lord Seventh by uncle Naruto as well, but I don't feel like calling him this way again. My mom still calls him Naruto-kun sometimes.

Sumire:

_Oh, I think this is cute. I would like to keep calling you Sarada-chan when you become Hokage, is that all right?

Sarada:

_It is all right. I guess I will probably be calling you Class Rep sometimes when you become the Science Facility Head Leader. I am kidding; we will quit this attitude when that time comes. But you rather be called by Sumire or Sumire-chan, don't you?

Sumire:

_ Oh, I think they can call me the way they feel it is more suitable. Let's come back to what you were telling about Boruto, I mean, about Uzumaki's family.

Sarada thought: "She likes to listen about Boruto, doesn't she?"

Sarada continued:

_So, as I was saying, our parents were very close so I was almost raised together with Boruto and Himawari. Before Lord Seventh became the Hokage he actually used to spend much time with his children, maybe that's why Boruto missed him so much, he was used to having his dad always nearby. He should be more supportive and reasonable though. On the other hand, my dad simply had gone away when I was so young that I couldn't even remember his face, when he came back, almost one decade later, he didn't even recognize me, he mistook me for an enemy. Okay, it was an awkward situation involving some clones portraying Sharingan, a long story...

Sumire:

_Uhum, but, wasn't your dad taking care of the Village too? As the Shadow Hokage, I mean.

Sarada:

_Yes... he was. But he could come to visit his family once in a while, couldn't he?

Sumire:

_Well, he is doing it now, isn't he?

Sarada:

_Uhum...

Sumire:

_Isn't your dad trying to help you right now? Aren't you the one that should be enjoying the time you have together instead of mourning?

Sarada:

_ Oh, but I do enjoy it! Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate being with my dad, I don't argue and complain when I am with him. I mean, at the beginning I did, because he messed up and embarrassed me, I guess he was trying to be nice though... well, what I was telling you was more like an unburdening confession, you know? Hehe_ She put her right hand behind her nape a little embarrassed.

Sumire giggled:

_Hm, is that right? Maybe he is not so good at demonstrating the love he has for you, things must be better with time.

Sarada:

_Hehe, you are so deductive Class Rep. The event when he embarrassed me the most happened during the Parent and Child Day, he was acting all weird, every move he did went wrong. He even called me "my cute little peanut"_ Sarada blushed.

Sumire smiled:

_He must like peanuts a lot. He was just trying to give you a pet name like "apple pie" or "honey bun".

Sarada chuckled:

_Whoever calls someone "apple pie" and "honey bun"?

Sumire answered with an introspective look:

_Well, I have heard it in an animation movie I watched with Namida once... I wouldn't mind being called by a pet name like those by someone that loves me.

Sarada realizing Sumire wasn't joking:

_Yes, maybe it is not that bad being dad's "cute little peanut". It is corny though. _Sarada blinked her left eye.

Sumire:

_Hmm. You mentioned Boruto is your dad's student, right? Is he going to be training with you two today?

Sarada thought: "Uh, you are thinking again about Baka-Boruto, Sumire!"

Sarada replied:

_No, he is not, thankfully. He is already training with lord Seventh I suppose, now Lord Seventh is 24/7 at home, Boruto must be enjoying him a lot, despite he doesn't assume it. Himawari is always teasing him about it. Besides, my dad is going to teach me The Chidori.

Sumire:

_Ow, sure, this jutsu can only be used by someone possessing the Sharingan, no use for Boruto.

Sarada:

_That's right.

Sumire:

_This jutsu was created by Lord Sixth, by adding the lighting nature to a version of a Rasengan, it is a very powerful jutsu, but Lord Sixth can't use it anymore since his Sharingan was taken by Uchiha Madara in the Fourth War. So nowadays he uses the Purple Lighting instead.

Sarada intrigued:

_Ow, ow, how do you know about all that?

Sumire:

_ What do you mean, didn't we learn about that at the Academy?

Sarada:

_Well, we didn't learn about the Chidori at the Academy, papa was the one who told me about it. Also, they didn't teach us many details about the Fourth War in the Academy. It was mentioned Lord Sixth was known as "The Copy Ninja" due to his possession of a Sharingan in his left eye which he used to read all the adversaries' moves and hand signs to copy them and we learned he lost it in Fourth War, but I didn't know Uchiha Madara was the one who stole it. They also didn't explain how Lord Sixth got that Sharingan in the first place, since he is not an Uchiha. So, how do you know that kind of information?

Sumire:

_ Huh, I must have read that in a textbook somewhere.

Sumire got nervous, she realized she knew all the details Sarada was missing due to documents from the Root her father possessed, which she happened to read while he was teaching her.

Sarada:

_Really? Where exactly have you got this textbook?

Sumire:

_Never mind, it belonged to my father, it has been confiscated.

Sarada placed her hands on her hips:

_Wait, what?! This means you had access to some privileged information from Ambu! You have to tell me more, do you have any knowledge about other Uchihas? At the Library, when I was looking for some information about them I didn't get much and most of the data I couldn't access because it was classified.

Sumire startled and thought: "Oh mine, she can't ask me to tell about the Uchiha's Massacre, the way Danzo forced her uncle Uchiha Itachi to... uhhh... it was so hideous... My father used to tell me that history like a great deal Danzo did in order to protect Konoha and then he said how ungrateful Konoha was to The Root, how all the Village deserved to be eliminated..." Sumire began to sweat and her breathing was faster.

Sarada:

_Sumire?! Are you all right?

Sumire answered seriously:

_ I- I am sorry, Sarada, I can't tell you anything about it. It is my duty after I've received my amnesty.

Sarada replied concerned:

_Oh, of course. I am the one that is sorry, I shouldn't have pushed you through this.

Both kept silenced while Sarada was thinking: "Poor Class Rep, she must have had some bad flashbacks about her father, she was almost panicking as Kawaki did. Oh mine, back there I was complaining about my father and saying Boruto shouldn't complain about his. How could I have said such things to Sumire since she had an awful father and an awful childhood? I did the same mistake I did to Kawaki. Shanaro! Thankfully Class Rep is such a nice and kind girl. I guess she was sad when she was saying she wouldn't mind having a pet name. "Class Rep" doesn't suit as a pet name I guess. Maybe I should try to be more kind to her. I must be a better friend! She is so quiet now. I need to change the subject, what should I say now?"

While Sarada was thinking, Sumire actually wasn't remembering her own sorrow as a child, she was thinking about all the bloodshed in Uchihas' hands. Madara, Obito, Itachi, and even Sarada's dad, Uchiha Sasuke. Sumire's father, Shigaraki Tanuki loathed the fact that Sasuke has been forgiven after the Fourth War, all because some Honoha's Hero, Uzumaki Naruto, had battled until he lost his own arm to save his nunekin friend (this kind of information belonged to the classified ones by the way). At the time Sumire was being indoctrinated she shared the same hatred her father nourished. What a paradox, she had become friends with one Uchiha and one Uzumaki as soon as she began at the Academy. She felt a traitress because of that back then. Only after Boruto had saved her in Nue's dimension, when she had lost her hopes to be worthy to be alive, Sumire could understand what Naruto had done for Sasuke. Sumire had begun to see and comprehend in a different way all the history about Konoha that was once taught in a corrupted way by the Root after she had chosen her happiness alongside the friends she had made. She wished Sarada could represent a blank plate restart to the Uchihas. She wished her friend wouldn't pass through any sorrow her predecessors had.

Sarada was cheerful:

_ I must tell you, Sumire-chan, I am going to master the Chidori and impress everybody! I can't be left behind by Boruto and Mitsuki. _she clenched her right fist and made a little punch in the air _I will get better and better!

Sumire smiled:

_Good to see you got all the energy to do it! You're gonna be a great Hokage, Sarada!

Sumire thought: "You will bring good things to the Uchiha's name, my friend!"

Sarada smiled:

_Thanks for your support, Sumire. Whenever you need help I am here for you! I will always be your friend, remember it.

Sumire with a cheerful smile:

_Sure thing, thanks Sarada-chan!

Sarada:

_You know, maybe after the Movie with the girls, you should go sleepover at my place. I will ask mom.

Sumire:

_All right, are you going to call someone else to come?

Sarada:

_Well, maybe just Chocho, I guess it would be such a fuss with all the girls together. Mom wouldn't approve it.

Sumire:

_Yes, that's right. It will be good to be the three of us as the Academy days.

Sarada:

_Uhum. Chocho probably will keep talking about boys though.

Sumire:

_As if we hadn't already talked enough about them without her...

Sarada said gesticulating with her hands:

_Ow, no way, we need to change our repertory, enough with Kawaki and...

Sumire interrupted:

_Enough with Boruto!_ She blinked her left eye at Sarada.

The girls looked at each other, both blushed and laughed. They finally get to the Science Facility entrance courtyard. Sumire said:

_We are here, it was pretty nice chatting. See you, Sarada-chan, I hope you won't be late for your training.

Sarada:

_Don't worry, dad would report to Mr. Shikamaru first thing in the morning so our training will begin in the second half of the morning. Have nice work, Sumire-chan! See you.

Sumire:

_ Thanks, have a nice training. Bye-bye!

Sumire and Sarada waved to each other end they took her own way.