Her sharingan faded, the eight-digit number burned into her brain before she slipped the piece of paper back into her mother's diary. It was the only clue she had as to their mother's past – not even words to say what the number was. Just eight digits which could mean anything. Was it a code of some sort to a super-secret vault? A password to a computer or an important locked file? The list of all possible things it could be was far too long, and Sakura didn't have the faintest idea where to start. She didn't have the time nor the energy to look into it just yet, so she was happy with simply memorising it with her fancy red eyes. They were coming in handy for a lot of things, not that she could use them half the time. She still needed to scout out the Uchiha-Konoha relationship, and it was likely the academy would be the best place for her to start. There was only so much she could learn from the streets of the red light district.
"Sakura-nee…" Mio padded out of the bedroom, biting her lip as she took a seat next to her at the low dining table. "I'm scared." Her hand fisted in her pyjamas, snuggling up as close to her sibling as possible. "What happens if I fail? I wanna stay with you and Aki… but—"
Sakura pressed a finger to her lips. "If you fail, you can always try again next year," she said, ruffling her sister's hair, sighing quietly in relief as Mio relaxed in her embrace. "But I doubt you'll fail… you're smart Mio… 'sides, there's no use in worrying about it now. You've done what you can, so the best thing you can do is get a good nights sleep before the big day." Sakura smiled, sipping from her hot chocolate. "Want me to make you some hot chocolate too?"
Mio shook her head from where it burrowed into her side. "Nah. Tomoe-oba said too much sugar before bed is bad."
"Yeah," she mumbled, wrapping an arm around her sister's back. "It probably is…"
"Love you, nee-san," Mio whispered, pulling away all of a sudden, hurrying back into their room, leaving Sakura all alone again in the midst of the living room. Probably a good thing too.
Her shoulders slumped, her throat itching even as she coughed, muffling the sounds in her hands as best she could. Her sisters, barring Mio, were likely fast asleep and she didn't need to wake them. She didn't want Mio hurrying back out to see what was wrong either. Slipping into the bathroom, she scowled, gritting her teeth at the small glob of liquid she could feel on her hand. It was a dark red in the harsh bathroom light, staring up at her mockingly as she slammed her hands down on the sink. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it'd vanish overnight. Maybe it wasn't a big deal. Tears pricked at her eyes. Who was she kidding? "Damn you, Obito," she muttered, her hand curling into a fist, slamming weakly against the tacky bathroom mirror. "Why'd you make me an Uchiha?" she whispered, staring at her watery reflection. "Why'd you put me in this body? Why, dammit?"
She was coughing up blood – fortunately only small amounts at the current moment in time – but with her medical knowledge she knew it'd only be a matter of time until she was coughing up mouthfuls rather than a few droplets. And despite being registered with the civilian sector, they had no health insurance, they weren't shinobi, they didn't even have shinobi parents, and they had barely any spare money to their name. There was a problem with her lungs, an internal problem, which would require at least one operation and some sort of medication. She'd never be able to treat herself from home and she'd never get near the hospital. As she was now, she'd never be able to foot the bill. Even if she became an academy student she wouldn't be able to go in for a major operation, even with the health care bonus that came along with being a shinobi-in-training. They'd be more likely to kick her out of the academy and send her home. The Founders wouldn't want to send out shinobi with health problems when there were perfectly capable healthy ones with less risk of dying in the field. Shinobi with bad lungs were no good, unless they were Hayate Gekko. He'd had support from his reasonably well-off family too. His shinobi parents. She didn't have that.
She'd just have to hold on… until she became a genin and earned some money. A smile cracked at her face, and she swallowed, washing her hands as she cleaned up the evidence. If there was one thing she was good at, it'd be survival. Some petty little illness wouldn't take her out. She'd survived in a wasteland for years. Surviving for a few more in a vibrant village wouldn't be too hard. Even if she'd be under the watch of at least one of the most powerful shinobi in all times. Her face froze. It looked like Tobirama would have yet another secret to pry out from her. She chuckled bitterly.
"But for now," she mumbled, quickly washing out her empty cup, leaving it on the drying rack with the rest of the washing up she'd done earlier. "I think it's bedtime… exciting day tomorrow…"
Of course, an exciting day didn't stop her from completing her morning training, her sensing radar on full power just in case a certain white-haired Senju decided to drop by. Fortunately he didn't, and Izuna only popped by the apartment – not going inside, but she'd felt his presence briefly, and she was fairly certain he'd waved at her. Idiotic man-child. She folded her arms with a huff, scowling at the bathroom mirror, prodding underneath her eyes. She was already developing eyebags and dark shadows underneath her eyes. Sighing, she went back to the living room, cracking out a book she'd borrowed from the library as she drank her morning coffee. She just prayed she didn't end up looking too much like Gaara. That wasn't a look she was too sure she'd be able to pull off that well.
"Nee-chan!" Akira was out of the bedroom in a flash, no doubt having smelt the food she'd prepared earlier. "It's today! It's finally today!" She bounced up and down on her feet, looking sheepish moments later when Sora and Seiren stumbled out, grumbling about the noise. "We're going to the academy!"
Sakura flicked her forehead, dragging her to her usual spot, placing a plate of breakfast down in front of her. "Eat," she ordered, sipping at her coffee, having already eaten her own breakfast. "You'll need your strength for today."
"Sure!" Akira mumbled, mouth already full of food and Sakura slapped her over the head gently.
"No talking with your mouth full, silly," she said, busying herself back in her reading as the rest of her siblings slowly trickled out of their room. She'd already set Tomoe's aside with a note, having peered into the older woman's room to find her flat out asleep in bed. She'd tucked her in, having noticed she was just lying on top of the sheets.
"We need to be there soon, don't we?" Akira was practically vibrating with excitement, trying to herd them out of the door.
"We've still got some time," Sakura said, pulling her shoes on, even as seven sets of eyes watched them mournfully. "But it's better to arrive early than late," she continued, making the correct hand seals, watching as the earth clone formed next to her. Her chakra levels were low. Not uncomfortably so, but she'd have preferred to be going at full capacity.
"Whoa, nee-chan…" Akira stared between them. "There's two of you!" she yelled, lunging for the clone before Sakura stopped her.
"Don't touch it. Knowing you you'll dispel it, and then I won't be able to leave a clone to watch over our sisters," she said, scowling until her triplet got the message and retreated with a pout. "Oh, and that also applies to all of you," Sakura spoke, glancing at the rest of her younger sisters. "Don't be too rough with my clone, otherwise it won't be able to set your lunches or help you with anything, understand?"
"Sure thing, Saku-nee!" Sora called, waving.
"Nu uh. I'll be the one helping, not you," Seiren grumbled, glaring at her twin.
Sakura sighed, hurrying over to prod them on the forehead. "You two are the next oldest, so I'm leaving you two in charge under the supervision of my clone, OK?"
Seiren scowled. "Do I have to work with her?" she asked, pouting viciously as she pointed at her twin. "She's super annoying."
"Hn. You're just as an-annoying," Sora muttered, sticking her tongue out until Sakura poked their foreheads again.
Sakura sighed yet again, crouching down in front of where they sat. "You two wanna be shinobi too, don't you?" she asked, smiling albeit a bit sadly ass they both nodded vigorously. "Well, we live in Konohagakure, and do you know what this village is famous for?"
"Trees?" Sora offered.
"No, stupid. It has to be leaves," Seiren said, ignoring the glare from her twin.
"Leaves come from trees, idiot!"
Sakura flicked their foreheads again, pulling their attention back onto her. "You're both wrong," she said gently, chuckling softly at their crestfallen expressions. "Konoha is famous for its teamwork… and when you become shinobi, you'll be put into teams. You might not necessarily like your teammates, but you'll have to get along to work on missions." She let that sink in for a few moments before opening her mouth yet again. "I'm giving you a mission right now – and that's to look after the rest of our sisters. Right now, you two are a team, and what do teams in Konoha have to do?" She leant forwards, eyeing them intently as she waited for their answer.
Sora folded her arms, Seiren sighing as they chorused in unison. "Work together," they muttered, eyeing each other in annoyance.
Sakura smiled brightly, pulling them both into hugs, kissing them both on the forehead before she pulled away. Or tried to, anyway. A small hand knotted in her trousers, Ran staring determinedly at the table, her voice so quiet she barely heard the hushed whisper.
"Us too."
She blinked, bending down to give all of her sisters a hug and a kiss. "Nee-chan the best," Nozomi mumbled, waving a short stubby arm as Sakura hurried to the door, closing it behind her with her key. Tomoe's spare key was on the side should her clone need it. With that, they were off on the long trek to the academy, mask, braid, and hood in place.
"Don't worry, Mio…" she said, eyeing the trembling girl next to her. "You'll be fine. Just wait and see." Sakura pulled her along, fingers interwoven with her own while Akira wandered around them. Fortunately, she didn't get into too much trouble. At least not until they were only a few streets away from the academy.
"You really think you can be a ninja?" the mocking voice was Ami's, and Sakura felt her stomach drop like a rock. "You're just riding on Ino's coattails. You're nothing without her."
Her hands curled into fists as she walked, heart sinking as she realised she'd have to walk right by the group. She wasn't going to intervene. Haruno Sakura was Yamanaka Ino's problem. Not hers. Her footsteps felt heavy, like she was walking to her doom, a scowl pulling at her lips underneath her mask when she saw those watery green eyes.
A dull meaty thump met her ears, her eyes widening when she saw the foot kicking at the small pink-haired form. Bile rose in her throat. Fight back, pathetic Sakura, she wanted to scream. But it wasn't her business. She couldn't intervene. She wouldn't. Pathetic Sakura had to learn how to stand on her own two feet. She'd done it before, and her irritating past self needed to do it again.
But it was a completely different world, the snide voice in the back of her head reminded her.
Sakura never remembered Ami physically hitting her before. Sure there'd been the taunts and the psychological side, but never anything that'd leave a trace. Her throat felt dry. Bone dry.
"Nee-chan." Mio tugged on her hand, nervousness written across her face as she stared at the scene to their side. "They're being mean to that girl…" Black eyes stared into her shadowed one, pleading for her to do something, but it was Haruno Sakura. How was she supposed to help the pathetic old version of herself? She didn't want to become yet another Ino to her past self. She didn't need any more crutches. She needed to get her head screwed on straight and learn how to beat people up.
Akira's voice yanked her out of her thoughts. "HEY!" She stomped over to the bullies, and Sakura's heart clenched. Akira had taken away her choice of remaining uninvolved. "What're you doing?"
"Ugh, another ugly pink-haired idiot," Ami grumbled, pushing her sister away from her with one chubby hand. "Go away. This doesn't involve you, civilian."
"Nu uh." Akira put her hands on her hips. "I'm going to the academy for the tests today, so I'll be an academy student soon. You guys are going too, aren't you?"
"None of your business," Ami spat. "You'll probably fail anyway, with that ugly hair of yours – you'd just be a walking target!"
Akira just smiled, enraging her old bully that much more, and the following slap had Sakura walking forwards despite her aversion to her old self. Shaking legs and arms wouldn't stop her from protecting her actual sister, and if it meant protecting the snivelling green-eyed Sakura then so be it.
"I think that's enough," Sakura said, her hand snaking out faster than the girls could blink, catching Ami's arm in a vicelike grip. "We're all heading to the academy, and I see no reason why we should all delay our journey. There's such a thing as being punctual." She wasn't Kakashi. She'd never be too late to save anybody ever again. She stared blankly up at the slightly taller girl. She was still annoyingly short, even for her age. "Leave," she said in the flattest voice possible, tightening her grip enough to make it uncomfortable before she released her with a shove.
Ami left, taking her groupies with her before she could even start cracking out threats about breaking bones.
"Come on," she said, pulling Mio along, ignoring the girl sitting on the ground. "We need to get to the academy."
"Nee-chan, what about her?" Akira pointed at the snivelling mess.
"She should be able to make it to the academy on her own from here on in," Sakura said, shoving her hands into her pockets to hide the slight tremble in them as she stood so close to her past existence. What would happen if they touched? Sakura snorted mentally. Nothing. She was completely unrelated to the snotty girl in front of her.
"Those girls were being really mean," Akira mumbled, rubbing at the reddened handprint on her cheek. "Were those bullies, nee-chan?"
"Yes, now—"
"Are you OK?" Akira crouched down. "Lookie, look, nee-chan…" she said, lifting a lock of the pastel pink hair. "Her hair is the same colour as ours!"
"I can see that—"
"So—"
Sakura grabbed Akira by the wrist. "Come on. Else we'll be late," she muttered gruffly, glaring down at her past self, her scowl only growing when she flinched back away from her. She wasn't that scary – she was the kind of person the wimpy idiot could be if she stood up a bit and grew a damned spine.
"Oh… OK…" Akira said, pulling away from the snivelling Sakura.
She stepped away, dragging her sisters away before a loud sob stopped her in her tracks. "Ugh," she muttered, stomping back towards her old self before she could lose her nerve. "Stop crying, idiot," she ordered, glaring down at the irritating past version of herself. "Those bullies won't stop if you just keep crying, and there won't always be somebody around to save you. Grow a bloody spine already and learn how to beat people up. You want to be a shinobi, don't you?" She threw a tissue into her lap. "Ugh. Might want to hurry up too. We do have to get to the academy by a certain time you know, idiot."
With that said, she turned on her heel, walking away, blinking as a familiar voice yelled out behind them. "Hey!" Yamanaka Ino ran towards them, and Sakura turned away. It wouldn't do any good to see ghosts. Not there. Not then. "What do you think you're doing?"
Her shoulders slumped, her feet not even halting in their movements. Great, now her old friend thought she was some sort of bully. She stopped the tears before they could even prick her eyes. That Ino wasn't her Ino. She was just an immature brat.
"That's right, keep running!" Ino yelled after them, and Sakura sighed wearily.
It wasn't her damned Ino, and it never would be. She was a pale imitation, and Sakura hated it. Still, it came as a surprise to both her and her sisters when she vanished from their sides, reappearing behind the pathetically annoying Ino. "So you took one look at the situation and immediately came to a single conclusion without even bothering to think of any other possibilities," she said, her lips right next to the blonde's ear, a smug smirk in place as Ino stiffened. "I hate people like you the most – the ones who think they're always right. Talk to your friend. I think you'll find the actual situation was much different to how you imagined it." She was gone in a flash, back with her sisters, pulling the pair of them towards the academy – where their shinobi careers would begin.
And also the path to curing her lungs too, and nobody would be any the wiser about that little fact.
Yawning, she watched as the familiar building came into sight, black rooftiles, reddened wood, the Konoha Symbol emblazoned above the doorway. It was just like her old one. Some things really didn't change, and she didn't mind that at all. Dragging her sisters forwards, she pulled the completed paperwork for all of them out of her pocket, hurrying over to where the application desk was.
"Names?" the chunin working the desk asked, not bothering to look up from the paperwork in front of him, even as they added to the pile.
"Sakura, Mio, and Akira. No last names," she said, not bothering to flinch as his eyes lifted to roam over them. No last names. Even the orphanage gave the children randomised common last names, and that made their origins all that more obvious. Red-Light brats. She stared back at him blankly, daring him to make a comment about their dubious background.
"OK…" he spoke, noting something down on each of their envelopes as he pulled out two metal tags. "Which of you is Mio, and which one of you is Akira?"
"I'm Akira," she said, grinning widely as he handed her one of the metal tags. "She's Mio, and this one is Sakura-nee."
Mio received her tag, and Sakura blinked, wondering where her own was, but she kept her silence, waiting patiently for her explanation to arrive.
"That's your identification number for the tests today. Don't lose it," the chunin ordered. "Now, please head over to where all the other parents and children are. You'll be called in for testing soon."
Sakura cleared her throat, blinking in confusion when her papers were shoved back into her hands as her siblings were guided away from them by another chunin. She waved hesitantly at them, smiling until they happily went on their way. "Um, what's going on?"
He sighed. "You're Sakura, correct?" He lifted up a slip of paper with her name and description written down. "I assume you have pink hair, given your sisters…" he trailed off, shaking his head. "Tobirama-san asked if we'd send you up to his office when you arrived. You'll see your sisters later, though I think you'll be completing your test in a different location."
"Oh." Sakura blinked again, telling herself she'd no doubt have to roll with things. "OK."
"Good luck, kid," the desk chunin said, turning back to his paperwork as another chunin came over to lead her up to the annoying Senju's office.
Knowing her, she'd probably need all the luck she could get.
