Konohagakure no Sato was truthfully a very beautiful place. With the vibrant greens of nature at sight everywhere you looked, the sun shining down at you from the clear blue sky, the excited buzz of the crowd filling the streets, and most importantly the scent of fresh made sweet bread, a Konoha delicacy, drifting through everyone's nose once they pass from in-front of the bakeries.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage now ruling over his Second Reign after the noble sacrifice of Lord Fourth during that fateful night, looked every bit like his age. Heavy wrinkles decorated his russet skin, and his eyes were burdened with the loss of many. Leading the most successful and powerful Shinobi Village, after all, comes with a great responsibility that his old age cannot handle as well as he did in his younger years.

He glanced sharply at the man in front of him, feeling his chest constructing at the blank expression of his former ANBU teammate, Miyamoto Atsuya. While he knew he should punish him for his thoughtless (and reckless!) actions, he wanted to hear what he had to say at first. There was no possibility Atsuya, as a man of his callibre even, to do something without any reason.

"Miyamoto-san," Hiruzen wanted to wince at his own heavy and raspy voice, hopefully no one noticed that his tone was filled with complicated emotions. "Not only have you endangered confidential information from being spread around, you also imperiled our Shinobi by putting them in a position they had no choice but to remain ignorant to the significance of the situation," He watched keenly as Atsuya pursed his lips, his green eyes holding righteous anger.

"How was I supposed to know the brat was going to practice them outside," Atsuya rolled his eyes, and leaned his weight on his good leg. "Honestly, cut it out with the formal shit already, I'm not a fucking politician for you to get all princy over."

That man, Lord Third thought with a tinge of resentment and amusement. He will never change, he's as bumptious as always. He allowed himself to feel a bit nostalgic, if only for a mere second. This takes me way back...

The Hokage sighed, puffing out the smoke from his pipe. "Young Sakura had been in great distress, no thanks to you. I would like to hear you explanation with my own ears, Atsuya." He went back to first-name basis.

Miyamoto-san looked at him with a piercing stare that could bring any lesser man to his knees. Yet, Hiruzen was the Hokage longer than any of his predecessors and successor, he wasn't one to be easily intimidated. Therefore, when he placed his pipe gently down to the wooden desk after taking a last drag, he looked up at one of his most highly-esteemed subordinates and let his Killing Intent become potent through the room.

The ANBU that were tasked to protect him in case of any unsuspected attack, tensed. The sensation pressed down on everyone heavily, making them all break out in sweat. However, the one most effected was Atsuya, who took the whole brunt of the Hokage's wrath.

The man couldn't take the whole pressure of a superior presence at his level and old age. With a gasp, he fell down on his knees panting, his eyes widening and pupils decreasing in size from the pure terror than convulsed his entire body. His heart beat erratically against his chest, the instinct to run and survive rooting deep into his bones as the seconds pass by.

"Y-You...!" He stuttered in vain, gasping for air as he bowed his head.

"If one of my subjects are not willing to cooperate, I have the right as the Third Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, to remind them of their rightful place," Hiruzen's voice, though raspy with age, held authority and power like no other. Dark eyes looked coldly down at trembling bowed-over man, who couldn't stop sweating profusely and was unable to lift his head from the floor.

"Hi...ruzen-"

"That's Lord Hokage to you, Miyamoto," He cut him off indifferently. "Ox, Tiger, take him to the Torture and Interrogation department. Make sure the one responsible for it's case is Morino Ibiki personally."

Two ANBU flash-stepped forward, grabbing Atsuya's arms in a tight grip.

"Understood, Hokage-sama!"

His two trusted Shinobi vanished with the suspicious man, and Hiruzen could finally close his eyes and breath out a relaxing puff of smoke. His heart felt heavy, his old and word bones tired from all the years of his reign.

"Hokage-sama, with Miyamoto-san out of the way, how should we deal with Genin Haruno?" His assistant asked hesitantly for the first time, her dark eyes showing concern for all the parties involved.

Hiruzen glanced at her, before he turned his gaze to the large window besides him, overseeing Konoha from above. He was troubled, since he couldn't show much favouritism to any Shinobi, for a Hokage could never fall under the accusations of nepotism.

"As per protocol, Sakura-chan should have been elimininated the moment she required the information," He said gravely. "However, due to the circumstances, she's nothing but an innocent bystander who fell under the unknown schemes of Miyamoto Atsuya," He pursed his lips, eyes hardening in resolution. "Until we interrogate Miyamoto, don't take any action."

"Understood."

Sakura could feel the hatred burning on her veins, the deep resentment that grew for her grandfather figure could only be described as loathing. Here she was, anxious and sweating over the implications behind his actions and fearing for her future as a Kunoichi, and the only thing he had in mind was... what?

What did he want out of this exactly?

She frowned, trying to think clearly about the situation. He taught her the signs when she was a little. She taught them to Ino. He grilled her with stories of nightmares and bloodbaths, glorifying Shinobi and their acts of atrocity in the name of patriotism. After years of her knowing the secret sign language (a secret even in ANBU, when she was told that she almost fainted) he gained nothing from teaching her that knowledge.

What did he want?

What was the reason?

It didn't make any sense, to her at least. Maybe she's missing something, something that was unthinkable by nature; something that could as well have her labelled as a traitor or even worse - an ignorant fool, the reasons behind the circumastances might as well be damned.

Her eyes widened as realisation struck her, and she was left gaping at the thought.

No, it couldn't be... her? There is no way that he was planning on gearing her to join that governed organisation right? He started by the signs, but what about after?

She tried to remember, but she couldn't remember old man Atsuya's presence when she was in the Academy much. Didn't he have a fall-out with her mother a couple of years ago? Her father was still good friends with him though...

This is giving her a proper headache, she needs to know more about this... and the right person resides under the same roof as her.

"Mom? I need to talk to you about something."