If updates don't come as fast as you want, remember that writers are not machines and have other priorities. Badgering is unwelcome. So seriously, chill. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed and was kind and patient. You're the true MVPs.

The people that keep asking if there will be HashiMito in this fic are gonna be in for a real shock for what I have planned with Mito's storyline. XD HashiSaku, bitches, HashiSaku is the ship that sails.


Reira eagerly accepted the scroll, fighting to look composed. "This needs to arrive at the Aburame compound post haste. No detours and no lingering once you get there." Tobirama explained solemnly.

She nodded quickly so he wouldn't see the smile worming its way onto her face. "I'm off!" Reira dashed for the door, anxious to feel the sun on her face.

"Hold on!"

She stopped so abruptly that she started to trip. "Huh?"

"You know to bring their reply to the Hokage Tower."

Reira couldn't help but feel flustered. She knew she wasn't as responsible as…well, Mei-san had told her more than once she was scatterbrained, but that didn't have anything to do with delivering one little message.

"I know Tobi-nii!" she waved, running down the hall and narrowly barreling into Toka.

"Reira, why are you running?"

Jogging in place, she waved the scroll around. "I'm taking this to Chisa-chan's house."

Toka's eyes were piercing as she studied the scroll, slowly lifting her eyes back to Reira's face and nodding. "I see. Don't cause mischief." She passed with a small pat to her head.

Reira gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her heart. "These aren't even the right clothes for that…" She glanced down at the rose-colored yukata with the water lily pattern Mei-san had badgered her into. The yellow obi was the only semblance of familiarity. She longed for her bright gi and the ease of movement it provided. 'The sooner I get back, the sooner I can get out of these clothes!'

With that bit of motivation in mind, she started running again, exiting the main compound and inhaling the fresh air of the courtyard. Fall finally felt like it was in the air. Until only a week ago, the weather had been consistently warm, and even in her gi, training under the hot sun caused sweat to trickle uncomfortably down her neck.

Mei-san had even suggested that she'd be cooler if she were to cut her hair, but that was a thought she wasn't willing to consider. Reira enjoyed her long braid, as simple a hairstyle as it was. Some others clucked their tongues, too. They'd whisper that she'd be such a pretty child, if not for her personality. Some of them marveled at how different she was ffrom Toka at that age. Reira always grinned, pretended not to hear it.

Even if the task was small, she would hold her head high and show everyone she was reliable. That was what she chanted in her head as she wandered away from the Senju compound, ignoring the baffled stares of her clansmen.

There was a lightness to her step the more she ran. Reira could close her eyes, let the wind whip through her braid, and pretend she was flying through treetops, out on a real assignment. She could pretend that she was delivering a top secret missive, and when she completed it, she'd be greeted with praise for her swiftness.

She could—

Her shoulder slammed into someone else's, and the scroll fells from her hands. She watched it land in the dirt, pouting. "Oh,"

"Oh? That's all you got to say?" A dark-haired boy in a high-collared blue shirt sneered at her.

"S-Sorry!" she added. "I was daydreaming. I know I shouldn't do that, but—"

A hand came down on the scroll as she reached for it. "Look at us when you're talkin'!"

Reira's eyes narrowed. "Can you move your hand?"

"What if I don't wanna, huh? Are you gonna take us all on?"

Reira ignored him, crouching and attempting to slide the scroll out from under his foot, shoving at his leg.

"Now she's ignoring you, Manabu." another boy whispered.

"Leave her alone," a new voice whispered, and Reira watched another boy dressed like the first two, crouch beside her and lift Manabu's foot.

Growling, the bully named Manabu snatched it before either of them could, taking the scroll Reira had only just noticed the curly-haired boy was holding. "What're you gonna do now, Kagami?" he goaded, "Gonna go tell Izuna-sama?"

He waved both scrolls at them, and Reira jumped for them, frustrate when she noticed how conveniently long his arms were. "This is almost too easy. You're both a couple of pushovers. Hey Kagami, maybe you finally found the perfect little playmate."

Reira scowled. "I bet your mother doesn't like you."

Manabu stopped laughing abruptly. "You'd better watch it. I could stomp you just like—" She was surprised when he reached for the front of her kimono and Kagami stepped in front of her.

"That's enough."

That was when she noticed the crest on his back. 'He's an Uchiha!'

Face red, Manabu shoved the scrolls at Kagami. "Whatever. You're not even any fun anymore, Kagami. You're always too busy trying to pretend you're a hero. Let us know when you're ready to stop playing make believe."

They watched as Manabu marched off.

Kagami frowned. "You too, huh, Tenma?"

The other Uchiha shrugged. "He's got a point…you're just not as much fun to hang around anymore."

Reira barely resisted the urge to shout taunts as they retreated.

Kagami turned to her with an apologetic smile. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I think this is yours."

It took her a minute to respond. She was too busy committing his face to memory. She had never seen an Uchiha with curly hair, rosy cheeks and long eyelashes. In her mind, she had thought that the Uchiha Hashi-nii was friends with could be handsome, if he wasn't scary. Kagami wasn't really handsome to her though, he was…

"You're sort of…pretty." she blurted absently.

His eyes widened, and Reira clasped a hand over her mouth, embarrassed. She snatched the scroll from his left hand. "That wasn't supposed to…I said that…out loud."

They stood there in awkward silence, neither sure what to say. Kagami rubbed at his arm, "It's fine," he laughed a little, "You say what you're thinking. That's a nice quality."

"Really?" Reira gaped. "Most people I know don't think so."

He nodded. "Really." He confirmed. "Sorry about them. They've been like that a lot lately."

Reira put her hands on her hips, annoyed in a way that she rarely ever was. "Are they really your friends?"

Kagami shrugged helplessly. "We all grew up together, and Manabu wasn't always that way…"

Some of Reira's irritation evaporated. "That must be rough. But you know, I still think they're sort of stupid."

"They're only sort of stupid on a good day," he winked. "Any other time, they're very stupid."

Reira laughed, until she remembered she had an errand to do, and the color drained from her face. "Oh! Sorry, I need to go. Tobi-nii will bite my head off…" she cringed, tucking the scroll safely into her obi and darting off.

Kagami smiled lightly, still a little confused. He didn't know her name, but he had a feeling it wouldn't be the last time he saw her, whoever she was.


Karin pushed up her glasses, the folder containing what she'd pilfered from Kabuto's lab tucked safely under her arm as she hopped from one branch to another. Not even the long trek back to the outskirts of Konoha with only Suigetsu for company had dampened her mood.

"What're you all excited about?" Suigetsu asked casually, a half-step behind her.

She rolled her eyes. Suigetsu was always slow on the uptake. Always more about swinging a stupid sword and seeing how much blood he could splatter than thinking rationally. That. That right there was why they could never see eye to eye. Karin considered herself a survivor. And she'd manage to do it so long by playing up her cunning, in spite of not really being all that physically strong. Her ninja way was to be a self-preservationist. That was what she did best.

"If you must know, I think I made a breakthrough." She informed him, feeling all the more smug when his eyebrows rose in surprise. "The files I found? They talk specifically about linking the chakra of transmigrants. Kabuto may not have really fully understood since he was relying on folklore just like everyone else, but he was definitely onto something. With actually having Sasuke-kun and Naruto there, I can probably make the necessary adjustments."

Suigetsu gave a low whistle. "Hehe…"

Karin's eyes narrowed. Suigetsu never failed…to get under her skin. "What's so funny?"

"You're just so gung-ho about all this! You bought into it the moment Sasuke talked about it."

"So what?" Karin challenged. "You were there during the war! What more proof do you need to know all the stories are true?"

Suigetsu tilted his head back to observe the tree line, casually folding his arms behind his head, frowning thoughtfully. "I dunno about all that. I mean yeah, maybe some of it's not bullshit. But c'mon, this whole theory?" he shrugged noncommittally. "You know me," he grinned broadly at her, his pointed teeth on display. "Always been more of a proof's-in-the-pudding kind of guy. And so far, there hasn't been much proof, now has there?"

Karin flushed, turning away from him and speeding up. It hadn't worked the last three times they'd tried the jutsu. Sasuke and Naruto were growing frustrated, Suigetsu was getting more skeptical and voicing his doubts at every opportunity. In the back of her mind, Karin had her own doubts. But it wasn't about her.

"Hey, what's your rush?" Suigetsu called, quickly catching up. She silently cursed him. "Look, let's say all this isn't a huge waste of time. Sasuke's right. You're right. Your little theory works. But then what? If the girl's alive, trapped in another dimension for over a month, she's gonna be pretty messed up, right?" he motioned to his head. "And if she's not, well, maybe that's even worse. If it's all happily ever after, then that means Sasuke's not really gonna need us anymore. The girl's known him a lot longer than we have."

Karin bit her lip, too afraid to speak. Suigetsu knew how to rub salt in the wound. Another annoying, special trait of his. Without warning, she turned and punched him as hard as possible with her free hand. Feeling his face explode into water the minute her knuckles connected didn't feel as cathartic as usual. It didn't erase the sting of his words and their possible truth from her mind.

Karin didn't look back. Suigetsu would be fine. Sadly, he always was. It didn't matter what he said, or that he didn't understand. She knew the minute she'd agreed what it meant if Sakura were to be reunited with Sasuke—and Naruto.

"Fuck!" The former Mist nin appeared beside her quicker than she'd expected. "What was that for?" he rubbed at his cheek.

"We don't need you Suigetsu," she spat. "If you've got something better to do with your precious time, go out and do it. One stooge can easily be replaced by any other, you know."

Her comrade didn't flinch in the face of her harsh words. A slow grin of understanding appeared on his face. "Ah, I get it now…I think. Ya know, Karin, you've come a long way. I woulda thought the chance of losing Sasuke to someone else would throw you into a jealous fit."

"It shows what you know!" Karin scoffed, glad to see that the run down storage temple was finally coming into view through the trees. The sooner she got away from Suigetsu and the thoughts running wild in her head, the better.

She descended from the treetops and Suigetsu followed. The minute they were in close proximity to the ground she felt it, and halted immediately. "Whatsa matter now?" Suigetsu asked lazily.

"Shh!" Karin glared. "Someone's inside and it's not Sasuke or Naruto…it's—" she gasped, jumping back and taking up a fighting stance as the silver-haired jonin she recognized as Sasuke's former sensei popped up, a pasty, dark-haired boy beside him.

"Yo," he greeted affably. "Karin, wasn't it? Long time no see."

"Eh?" Suigetsu was sure to voice his confusion. "You know this geezer?"

"Yeah," Karin muttered, refusing to take her eyes off the man known as Kakashi Hatake. "He's one of the people who brought me back to Konoha." Against her will, she might add!

"I was curious about what my students were up to these days. I thought I'd wait for them here, and we could have a friendly talk in the meantime,"

"Tch, like hell." Karin shook her head. "The last time I had a friendly talk with you people, it was from a cell."

"Ancient bygones, really." Kakashi stuffed his hands in his pockets, taking up an infuriatingly laidback slouch.

"Someone going to fill me in?" Suigetsu dug in his ear, eyeing the Konoha nin in disinterest. Karin knew better. He was almost always thirsting for a fight.

"You two are rogue nins who traveled with Sasuke Uchiha, are you not? Are you planning something against the village with Sasuke?" the dark-haired boy suddenly blurted, pulling a scroll from his hip.

"Easy Sai," Kakashi placated. "We're just here to talk, remember? I have a feeling our friends here aren't looking for a confrontation either."

"Friends?" Suigetsu grinned toothily, hands falling to his hips. "Dunno about that. We don't really cozy up to strangers that fast. Right, Karin?"

She nodded. "We don't have anything to say to you. We're not doing anything worth bothering yourself with."

"They're right, Kakashi," Karin felt her heartbeat increase at the sound of his voice. Sasuke! She blinked and there he was. And Naruto too, of course. But Sasuke was the one who was effortlessly staring Kakashi down. "This has nothing to do with either of you."

"Ah, well… You may not be my genin anymore, but I still like to think of us all as a team." Kakashi smiled, his eyes closing. "I'd hate to think my cute little pupils were off getting into trouble somewhere."

Karin gulped, moving closer to Sasuke instinctively. The air was tense. The Copy Nin and his toadie didn't look like they were going away.

"You might think I'm just sticking my nose into things, but I'd like to remind you that not everyone's happy you're roaming free, Sasuke. Don't give the council a reason to change its mind." His dark eyes drifted to her and Karin stiffened. "As for your friends…they're rogues. They can't come and go as they please."

"Karin's family," Naruto protested. "If the Uzumaki clan were supposed to be allies to Konoha then…then she should be allowed to stay if she wants."

She couldn't deny she was surprised to hear him take up for her. Since they'd formally met, she tended to berate him more than a little.

"Naruto," Kakashi sighed.

"This is going nowhere." Sasuke interrupted. "I'm aware of what you're saying, Kakashi, but it doesn't change my plans. We've come too far to turn back."

"Then let's hear it," the masked nin pressured. "If I can't persuade you, maybe you can persuade me." Karin found him a little unnerving, hands in his pockets, looking perfectly at ease even in the tense situation. His chakra suggested the same.

"Are you serious?" Naruto and Suigetsu asked in unison.

Karin couldn't help but echo their sentiments if only in her head. It had all started because she thought that maybe helping Sasuke locate his missing teammate would be the key to seeing the boy from the Chunin Exams.

Now, she was even deeper into a mess thanks to Sasuke. It should have irritated her, at least a little. But, she realized, shifting the files and holding them out to the Uchiha, it didn't. "This is what we got…" she deliberately ignored Kakashi.

Sasuke accepted the files from her. "Good work,"

Those two words were enough to ground her entire world.

"Sasuke, please don't tell me Sai was actually right…you're not thinking of taking action against the village, are you?"

"Not at present, no," he turned to Naruto. "Alright dobe, don't screw this up."

Naruto, predictably, sneered. "Who the hell is the one that's gonna screw up exactly?"

"What's all this sneaking around then?" Kakashi asked sternly.

"We're…" Naruto faltered. "We're looking into ways to get back Sakura, okay?"

Kakashi, clearly shocked, let his eyes sweep over the group of teenagers, looking for any signs of it being a collective joke.

"We'll let you know what we've been up to, but in exchange, you can't get in our way," Sasuke informed him.

Kakashi looked unconvinced, crossing his arms. "I think you know that depends on the details Sasuke."


Kagami knocked, waiting patiently to be told to enter the office. He hoped the Hokage didn't mind that he was running a little late…

"Hokage-sama?" His voice came out meeker than he had hoped, and he cringed. "Hokage-sama?" he repeated louder.

Although it might have been rude, curiosity got the best of him, and he quietly opened the office door, peeking inside. There was a neat, spacious and empty room, shelves of heavy books on one wall, and a large desk in the center of the room with a bonsai and a stack of papers on it. Clearly, the Hokage wasn't around. Kagami knew that meant he should come back again later. But Madara-sama wanted to get the Hokage's response before he continued with the preparations. Waiting might cause a hitch in the plans…

His dark eyes roved the Hokage's desk. Would it be alright if he left it? Kagami wandered closer, fidgeting with the scroll clenched in his hand. The young Uchiha placed the scroll down carefully, frowning when he noticed it looked like it had been dropped in the dirt… Even if it was Manabu's fault, Madara-sama had entrusted him with the responsibility. He was the one who had failed to keep the message safe from abuse.

That was when it caught his eyes, and he couldn't help himself from staring in awe. There, draped across the Hokage's chair, was a length of white fur, undeniably soft looking. His fingers twitched, and Kagami made a fist to keep himself from reaching for it. It wasn't his, and he didn't want to be ruder than he already had by touching the Hokage's things.

'I should go,' he warned himself, forcibly turning away from the invitingly fluffy fur. For added measure, he squeezed his eyes shut. The compulsion to stroke the fur at least once didn't disappear, and Kagami slowly cracked an eye open in spite of himself. Inching closer, he reasoned that it wouldn't hurt to give it a small pat before he left. The stray, his friend, was gone…He missed the cat.

Sometimes he would find himself bringing scraps of food outside, expecting to see the friendly kitten trotting toward him. Whenever he imagined what became of his friend, his heart sank. He should have been stronger and stood up to Manabu the minute he first expressed interest in trying his katon skills out on a moving target. He should have protected his friend.

Instead, he'd make do. The fur couldn't purr when he touched it, or nudge his hand, but the thought of feeling something that at least vaguely reminded him of a cat was comforting. Shakily, he reached out with one hand, his fingers sinking into the smooth white hair of the fur collar. Kagami gasped, delighted that it was even softer than he'd hoped for. One pet turned into two, and then many more, until he was standing in the Hokage's office, transfixed with feeling the texture. He wasn't sure how long he stood there, bringing the fur to his face and hugging it.

Making sure the Hokage got the letter was almost the last thing on his mind when the door slammed open and he jumped, releasing the fur and letting it fall to the floor.

"Hashi-niiii!" A familiar voice screamed. Kagami turned, surprised to see the girl he'd helped standing in the doorway. She was breathing hard like she ran all the way across the village, and when her eyes fell on him, she looked just as surprised.

"Er," Kagami swallowed, feeling the need to clarify, "I wasn't going through anything on the Hokage's desk!"

That seemed like the last thing on her mind as she slowly walked into the room. The closer she got, the more he could see that her round eyes, which he'd originally thought were brown, actually were a shade closer to burnt gold. "Is that Tobi-nii's fur?" she asked, pointing at the strip of white fur at his feet.

"U-Uh…" Kagami felt his palms start to sweat.

The mysterious girl bent down and picked it up. "I wonder if he left it here…" she mused aloud. Then, setting it aside, she beamed at him. "This is yours." In her hand was a scroll, and when he looked carefully, he noticed the Uchiha wax seal, still somehow intact, sealing the parchment.

"How?"

She shrugged. "Maybe they got switched when you helped me." That made as much sense as anything. It was the only thing that made sense, actually. "I got all the way to Chisa-chan's house before I noticed."

Reaching behind him, Kagami grabbed the scroll and presented it to her, taking his own scroll back with the other. "Thank you…um…"

"I'm Reira!" she declared proudly. "And you're Kagami-kun."

"Right," he agreed. Her liveliness had a way of putting him at ease. "I'm glad we switched these back before I gave it to the Hokage." How embarrassing would it have been to deliver the wrong message? What would Madara-sama have said had he found out?

"Mm-hm," Reira hummed. "Speaking of Hashi-nii, it's funny he's not in his office. He usually is this time of day…unless he's hiding from Tobi-nii…" she pouted. "I bet that's it."

Confused, he canted his head. "Are you talking about the Hokage? Y-You're being kind of informal, aren't you?"

"A little," she poked her index fingers together, looking sheepish. "But that's because they're like big brothers to me."

Realization suddenly settled over him. "You're a Senju?" It didn't make sense for any other child to be so familiar with the Hokage and his brother.

Reira grinned. "And you're an Uchiha." To his surprise, she poked his nose. "But I could tell that just by looking at you. Plus, I saw the fan on your back before."

She had him there. "Where was your message supposed to go?" It didn't seem to unnerve her at all that she was speaking to an Uchiha, but he'd never talked to a Senju close to his age before. He hadn't spoken more than a few brief words with any of his clan's once-sworn-enemies at all. Kagami wasn't old enough to actually hold true malice for them.

He understood their bitter history, and that Madara-sama and the Hokage had known each for many years. Aside from that, he was content to let the adults sort out any lingering bitterness they held. Changing the subject was better than dwelling on it.

"To Chisa-chan's house." Noticing his furrowed brow, she quickly explained, "Chisato Aburame. She's my friend. I took a message from Tobi-nii about some big meeting to her family. Well, I tried to. I got to the gates and then I saw the Uchiha crest."

"How'd you know where to find me?" Maybe she was a sensor-type.

"I guessed~"

Kagami sweatdropped. "You…guessed?"

Reira laughed nervously, surprising him as she hoisted herself onto the Hokage's desk with some difficulty, in spite of clearly struggling in her yukata. "Tobi-nii can be kinda mean…I didn't want to tell him," she admitted. "But Hashi-nii always keeps my secrets. I thought if I gave him the scroll, he'd help me figure out what to do. And he knows that one Uchiha!" she held up a pointer finger. "You know the one? His face looks like this?"

Reira proceeded to cover her left eye with one hand and scowl deeply.

"You mean Madara-sama? He doesn't look like that!"

"If he doesn't, how'd you know who I meant," she wiggled her eyebrows slyly. Kagami blushed. She reached over and picked up the fur he'd been playing with, looping part of it around her neck like a scarf, and then hopping down from the desk, holding the other end out to him.

"It's nice, right?"

"R-Reira-san, are you sure you should—"

"Reira." She corrected. "Just Reira. We're the same age! Probably."

"Reira," Kagami paused. "Are you sure you should do that?" Outwardly, he wanted to be the responsible one. But deep inside, he remembered the plushness of the fur against his cheek, and he thought about how comfortable it would be if he wrapped it around his neck.

"You know you want to do this," she teased, nimbly looping it around his neck several times.

Kagami sputtered, "W-Wait," he protested belatedly.

"Too late," she sighed, snuggling with her end. "I always do this when Tobi-nii's not around and I can get ahold of it. But he watches it way too hard! I don't blame you for trying to sneak a cuddle too, Kagami-kun."

"I wasn't!" His treacherous fingers clutched at the fur, but he couldn't make them unwind it. They held it tighter instead.

Reira made an unconvinced noise. "How much trouble will you be in?" she asked suddenly. "I'll be in lots. I know I was supposed to go home a long time ago…"

Kagami didn't want to think about how fast he got sidetracked from such a simple task. Madara-sama would never trust him with any responsibility again. "I…I…"

"What the hell are you two doing?"

Reira squealed, and Kagami shook as he felt a daunting aura pressing down on him from just over his shoulder. "Run Kagami-kun!" she cried, trying to take off. Unfortunately, the fur around his neck tightened as she started to drag him behind her, as he felt his eyes roll into the back of his head. The soft fur was suddenly choking him out, and what a humiliatingly ridiculous way to go!

"Urk!" he coughed, "R-Reira…"

A strong hand grasped the fur collar and snatched it from them both. Kagami stumbled, falling onto the wooden floor.

"Reira," a stern voice barked. "What are you doing? I told you explicitly not to goof off. Clearly, this was more than you could handle."

Getting over his embarrassment, the Uchiha turned slowly, his eyes starting at the sandaled feet and traveling up into the grim faced of the Hokage's brother, Tobirama Senju.

"T-T-Tobi-nii, I didn't expect…to see you here?"

"I'm sure you didn't." he grunted. "But you were taking far too long, so I tracked you down."

He wasn't positive, but it sounded like Reira muttered "I hate sensors so much" under her breath.

"I can explain, Senju-san," Kagami started. "We met on the way to our destinations, and accidentally took the wrong scrolls. I was supposed to deliver this to the Hokage," Tobirama took the scrool from him and opened it without a second thought, his eyes quickly reading the steady script of Madara's hand.

"Very well," His red eyes drifted to Reira, and she stiffened in place. "Take that to the Aburame's at once. No more delays. Have their response to me in the hour. This is your last chance," he warned.

Reira nodded so hard Kagami was concerned for her neck. "See you around, Kagami-kun!" she waved, scampering out of the room.

That left him and the most intimidating man he'd ever encountered, outside Madara.

"What were you doing with this?" he demanded, pointing to his fur collar. It looked out of place resting on his shoulders against the deep blue fabric of his casual yukata, but he didn't dare voice it.

"It was soft…" he opted for honesty. "…I like soft things. I-I'm sorry. It was wrong to touch it."

Tobirama looked satisfied by that. "You're not as insolent as I'd expect an Uchiha brat to be…but keep your hands off this."

"Y-Yes," Kagami would agree to anything in that moment.

"Then I can look the other way this time."

Relief rushed through his veins. In hindsight, his conduct had been embarrassing, regardless of the reason. If anyone in his clan ever found out, Manabu's taunting would be the least of his worries.

"I'll see to it that my brother receives this. Tell Madara the message was successfully delivered and that he'll get his response shortly."

Somehow, it wasn't what Kagami was expecting. It was almost like…Tobirama was trying to show pity. But the tales of the man's hatred for Uchiha were well known, so maybe it was wishful imagining. Either way, Kagami refused to waste the opportunity to bow out gracefully—literally—giving the man one last flustered apology before running home.


Sakura sucked in a deep breath, wondering if her ribs would be alright. "It's a little tight," she reached for her waist, but Toka's firm fingers brushed hers away.

"It should be," she assured.

"Sakura," Yurine popped up from behind her, holding out two hair ornaments. "Which one do you like more?" The ones in her left hand were wooden, a small oval piece of polished amber inlaid in the wide, flat part, a thin gold chain with white beads dangling from the other end. In Yurine's right hand was a silver comb with a meticulously crafted red blossom decoration attached to it. Both looked too extravagant and delicate to ever be set into her hair.

"The comb, of course." Toka answered for her.

Yurine studied the comb, and then the hair pins, "I would have thought the amber hair pins…" After shopping for a formal kimono with Toka, they had met Yurine by chance as she wandered around, buying items to adjust to her new life.

She'd explained that after being with the Kaguya for over a year, she had decided to treat herself to a new wardrobe. Sakura explaining why she was kimono shopping had piqued the blonde's interest, and she'd been only too happy to offer her assistance. Apparently any time away from her brother and his attempts to charm any girl he met, were much appreciated.

The three woman stood, preparing Sakura for the meeting, only a short hour away. Getting into her kimono required help, and she was grateful to have extra sets of hands. Toka worked on making sure the soft pink kimono with the slightly darker blossom pattern was immaculate, while Yurine brushed through her hair.

When she was done, she gathered it up in her hands, and Sakura vaguely noticed that since her time in the era, it had grown past her shoulders again, brushing her shoulder blades. "There," Yurine tucked the comb into her pink tresses so that some of her hair was secured in a perfect bun at the top of her head while the rest was left to hang. "It's beautiful," she sighed wistfully.

"It is a really nice ornament," Sakura agreed.

"That too," Yurine mumbled. "But I meant your hair. The shade and texture are so appealing. Much nicer than mine." Sakura touched a hand to her hair and blushed.

"I never thought I'd hear anyone say that." It was a far cry from the comments children made about it during her academy years. Even adults would occasionally whisper behind their hands about how odd it was.

"Why not?" Yurine gasped, genuinely alarmed. "Anywhere you go, this hair would make you the talk of town. I can see why you had to conceal it when you infiltrated the Kaguya's compound."

Toka had begun painting her lips with a deep red stainer that served as the lipstick of the period. Sakura wisely kept her mouth closed during the process, noticing the stern look Toka shot her. Two days of careful coaching later, she wanted to believe she was ready for whatever any bigoted clan leader could possibly throw at her.

The truth, however, was that despite the bravado she'd given the Hokage, and despite her desire to help see young children from humble upbringings allowed in the academy, it was a daunting role that rested firmly on her shoulders. Who knew what turn history would take from her actions? "Let that dry." The Senju ordered as she leaned away to inspect her work.

Sakura smoothed her hands down the front of her kimono, discreetly trying to loosen the obi while nodding. Toka, once again, chased her hands away.

When Sakura felt the stainer was sufficiently dry, she addressed Yurine, who was still perched behind her, waiting for an answer.

"You'd be surprised that the attention my hair gets isn't always the best kind," she joked wryly.

"Those people were speaking from a place of jealousy then." Yurine said, firm in her resolve to defend Sakura's hair.

Sakura couldn't deny that Yurine's admiration was sweet and so she smiled in gratitude.

"You should look at yourself in the mirror before you leave, but I believe our work is done." There was a certain gentleness to Toka's tone that reminded the pinkette of a proud older sister.

Sakura carefully stood from the cushion under her knees, faltering as she got use to the restriction of the kimono. Toka wasn't exaggerating about the yukatas feeling so much lighter in comparison. The layers of fabric she was currently wrapped in made her feel like a well-folded tomago.

Waddling her way across the room with difficulty, Sakura stood in front of the full length mirror, taken aback by the sight of the young woman it reflected. She looked into a face with clear green eyes and lips made to look fuller from Toka's steady application of the lip paint. Yurine had groomed her hair to a shine, leaving long pieces on either side that curled at her cheeks and framed her face. The kimono that had been decided on was a matching shade to her hair and it gave her an air of understated elegance. The patterning was simple and feminine, vibrant.

"Wow," she breathed.

"You agree now, don't you?" Yurine asked, squeezing at her shoulder. "Not just your hair is beautiful. You may find a suitor or two before the meeting ends." Sakura's cheeks pinkened as Yurine winked.

"Yuhi, enough joking," Toka shook her head. "Sakura has her goal in front of her. Something so unimportant as the opinions of a man shouldn't matter."

"They won't." Sakura stated. Since taking an unexpected plunge through time, the whirlwind of evidence around her had left little to no time to think of romance.

"You're right," Yurine pouted slightly. "This wouldn't be the appropriate time, would it?"

"And yet you sound unconvinced," Toka rolled her eyes. "It strikes me that you may be a bit of a romantic."

Sakura stared at her friend curiously, but Yurine had turned away, running both hands through the ends of her ponytail. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Ignore her, and put your best foot forward." Saying that, Toka began to shove her from her bedroom by the shoulders.

"Why am I rushing?" Sakura cried.

"You'll want to be early, to make a good impression."

Toka kept pushing at her until she was at her front door. Yurine opened it, and Usamaro darted in.

"I thought she wasn't trying to impress." Yurine whispered accusingly.

"Not for that particular purpose. But as an equal to any men who may see her as anything less? Yes, she absolutely is." Sakura had to catch herself as Toka almost shoved her through the threshold of her own front door.

'Did I just get kicked out of my own house?'

"We're in your corner." Yurine gave her a quick hug, and Toka lifted her chin when the blonde girl pulled away.

"Remember what we've practiced." Sakura felt something being pressed into her hand, and looked down to see the directions to the Uchiha compound that had been delivered by a hawk.

"I'm surprised you aren't going to be there." Sakura worried her lip. Toka, a strong, poised woman, would have been a wonderful support to have at her side throughout the meeting. As it was, she wasn't sure how many, if any, women would be present. For all she knew, she'd be trapped in a room full of men for an indefinite length of time, and half would be hostile, worst case scenario.

"There will be two Senju there already. If there were anymore, their might be accusations that Lord Hashirama was trying to create bias."

It was reasonable to limit the presence of Senju at the meeting. Any more than necessary, and the other clans might start to suspect.

"Let us walk you," Yurine insisted, pulling Sakura down the street by her hand.

"Do you even know the way?"

Yurine nodded down at the note she was clutching, and Sakura sighed in acquiesce.

"Right…" she sighed. "Right…"

~ASiT~

Standing at the entrance to the Uchiha compound was an incredibly thrilling and nerve-wrecking feeling, Sakura decided. On the one hand, this would be her first time ever setting foot in it. A part of her was curious about what Sasuke's ancestral home was like. There was no telling how close this version of it was to the one in her time period, but it was still the Uchiha compound regardless, and she would get to see it.

"This is where we part," Toka announced.

"I understand. Thank you for keeping me company on the way over."

She directed this mostly at Yurine, who almost looked more anxious than she was. "I'm sorry," the Yuhi said. "Big compounds like this…remind me a little too much of the Kaguya I suppose."

Sakura's heart panged with sympathy. Daily life with the Kaguya for just over a week would sometimes affect her sanity, but it was nothing in comparison to those who had survived months or even years with them. The ordeal clearly caused Yurine trauma.

"I'll take you home," Toka stated. Yurine nodded, grasping the Senju's arm firmly. They walked away slowly after Sakura was given one final look of confidence from Toka and a weak smile from Yurine, who looked almost physically ill.

Sakura made a mental note to check on her later, turning and facing the more immediate challenge: The inevitable confrontation.

The gates were open, presumably to welcome all the visitors who would be attending the meeting. However, two Uchiha were posted at the gate, chatting amicably and not looking the least bit on guard.

'Huh…' Sakura wandered up to them, pasting on a polite, confident smile. "Excuse me..." They both looked up lazily, and then did double takes.

"Yes?" The sentry on the right asked. She was tall and lean, with shiny black hair that fell straight down her back and a high-collared, sleeveless yukata.

"I'm here for the meeting this afternoon?" Sakura resisted the urge to nervously wring her hands.

"Clan affiliation?" the second sentry questioned. An older man with the beginnings of frown lines at his mouth and bags beneath his eyes, hair cropped incredibly close to his ears and wearing the same standard Uchiha garb as the woman, but with sleeves.

"I'm not from a clan, actually. I'm Sakura Haruno and I'm here as the representation for civilian families." The sentries shared a perplexed look, before the woman pulled out a scroll and studied it carefully.

"Her name is here." she muttered, pointing.

"Then you may pass," the man gestured to the opened wood gates, and Sakura nodded as she shuffled through.

Inside, she was greeted with a charming traditional style that was befitting of the Uchiha, in her opinion. The first thing she noticed were the people, the second was the homes seemed to be built close together and connected by the engawa that wrapped around them.

Almost everyone she caught eyes with had black or brown hair and pale skin, dressed in dark clothes that shared the same red and white fan. In her pink kimono and with her equally eye catching hair, she became a commodity the minute she set foot inside. No one looked hostile, at least. But she was getting plenty of long, openly curious gazes.

Sakura glanced at the note she'd received two days prior. It didn't have details about which building to go to, and she'd rather not wander around drawing more attention to herself. Asking for help was always an option. Any one of the Uchiha currently gaping at her could probably point her in the right direction.

"Would you like some assistance?"

"Yes please," Sakura nodded, still looking down at the slip of paper in her hands. "I'm Sakura Haruno, and I'm trying to..." Her words trailed off as she looked up into Izuna's smirking face. "Oh,"

"What an enthusiastic greeting." Izuna teased.

"I didn't expect you!" Sakura defended.

"You're in the Uchiha compound, and the fact that you might see me didn't occur to you?"

Sakura glared, even though she could feel her cheeks getting warmer. "I'm a little preoccupied today."

"Aa. Madara said you'd be attending the meeting today. Representing civilian entry into the academy."

Sakura looked at him curiously. "Does that bother you?"

"Not at all," Izuna offered her his arm. Sakura only paused a second before accepting it. "Since you've arrived early, why don't I show you around?"

She couldn't deny she was curious. "Alright," It was perfect. She could get a tour without having to be pushy. "You weren't...you weren't waiting for me to show up, were you?"

Izuna laughed heartily. "No, no. Nothing like that. I've just always had incredibly convenient timing. Depending on who you ask, that is."

Sakura could feel some of her anxiety easing. Izuna wasn't just a familiar face, but a friendly one. It was nice to have at least one ally in unfamiliar territory.

"I'm afraid that the compound itself is nothing spectacular. It's only been here as long as the village has, so there's no centuries of lore packed away." She listened to the low rumble of his voice and gently leaned against the arm she was gripping. He didn't seem to mind, looking down at the top of her head with a twinkle in his eyes as he kept talking. "We have our own training ground." he pointed out a group of young boys sparring as they walked past, and when they looked up and saw Izuna, all of them stopped mid-fight and ran over.

"Izuna-sama!"

"These are some of my students. I regularly teach the children the techniques passed through generations." Izuna explained.

"So you're a sensei?" she asked, interested. "I guess you probably have the patience for it." Because anyone who was Madara's sibling would have to learn patience, right? Sakura stowed the bitter thoughts, looking down into the questioning young faces.

"I'm Sakura,"

"What clan are you from?" one of the boys immediately questioned. "You have strange hair." He backed away warily.

""That's rude, Manabu." Izuna admonished.

"I'm use to it," Sakura told him. "And to answer your question, I'm not from a well known clan. My last name is Haruno."

"Sakura Haruno...? Is your given name because of your hair?" asked a bright-eyed little girl in pigtails.

"Something like that."

"My name's Miyako, 'cause I was born at night." she introduced herself.

"Miyako's a nice name," Sakura complimented.

"I know, right?" The girl agreed proudly.

Miyako's greeting prompted the other children to lower their guard, because soon they had all circled Sakura and Izuna, eager to talk. "I'm Tenma," said a tall boy with lank hair that covered his eyes almost entirely.

"Manabu." The largest child leered, his nose lifted in the air. "The runt's Kagami." he drawled, fluttering his eyelashes as he clasped his hands under his chin mockingly. Kagami was a cute boy with large eyes framed by sooty lashes, and wavy hair unlike any Sakura had ever seen on an Uchiha.

"I'm not a runt..." Kagami objected. "You're just a little older."

"What's the difference?" Manabu cackled. "Any way I look at it, you're a wimp."

"That's enough out of you, Manabu," Izuna jabbed a thumb back to the training grounds. "Go work on your kata again. Your form's still sloppy." Miyako and Tenma snickered as Manabu's ears turned red.

Glowering, Manabu stomped back to the training field, Tenma and Miyako following him.

"I'm not sure when he got so antagonistic." Izuna shook his head. He placed a hand atop Kagami's mussed hair. "This is my star pupil, Sakura-san."

Kagami tucked his chin to his chest shyly, avoiding their eyes. "I wouldn't say star...I'm just getting the techniques a little faster than the others right now."

"Don't let the humbleness fool you," Izuna continued. "He's got true talent. If anything, I think he's holding himself back."

Sakura carefully leaned forward, smiling kindly. "You know, Kagami, if you don't mind me saying so, I don't think you should hold back just because of a bully."

His dark eyes slowly drifted to her face. "Every time I beat Manabu at anything, he hates me more."

"Speaking from experience, that's usually more about them than it is about you."

"She's right," Izuna chimed in. "You're younger than Manabu, and he sees how much you're progressing and feels threatened. Even if it all has to come to a head before it gets resolved, you should stand your ground."

"It's not just because I beat him in a couple of spars..." Kagami looked up at them imploringly. "Izuna-sama, is it wrong to help others who aren't Uchiha, or to like cats because they're soft?"

"I think you know the answer to that already." Izuna ruffled his curly hair.

"And if you like cats, I have a kitten Izuna-san brought me. Maybe you could visit with him the next time he comes by."

Kagami's eyes bulged and his lips parted minutely. "A k-kitten that Izuna-sama gave you?"

"Did I say something wrong?" Sakura wondered. Kagami suddenly looked like he'd lost his best friend.

"I use to play with a cat who was a stray here...but, it's gone now."

"No it isn't." Izuna removed his hand from Kagami's head and looked at Sakura. "Sakura-san was able to save it, and it lives with her now."

The young Uchiha's face went slack with disbelief, and then lit with joy. "The stray's alive?"

"Not just alive, lively." Sakura explained. "He's always starting trouble."

"I thought...Madara-sama said...how were you able to save him?" he stammered.

"A little medical ninjutsu goes a long way."

"You're a medic?" Kagami's expression was reverent. "Thank you, for saving it."

"All in a day's work. I'm sure if you were friends, then Usamaro would love to see you again."

Kagami looked at Izuna for permission, and he nodded. "If you're sure it's no trouble, then I'd like that."

"Feeling better now?" Izuna asked. "Go on and rejoin the others." The three of them looked over at the training feeling to see the other children pretending not to watch Kagami interact with the adults. They were clearly trying to guess what they had been talking about.

Kagami bowed in gratitude and ran off.

"He's a good kid." Sakura was almost reminded of how upbeat she had seen Sasuke for the brief time she had known him before the Uchiha Massacre.

"Yes." Izuna looked on with fondness as they stood and watched the children start sparring again, Kagami helping Miyako with her kata. "They all are. Even Manabu, when he allows himself to be." Izuna held up his arm again. "We still have time before we're expected at the meeting, would you like to see more."

"Lead the way." Sakura squeezed his arm lightly, and they started walking again.

She noticed as they wandered around that while the compound had an air of distance and dignity, the Uchiha themselves were amicable to each other, stopping to talk, or exchanging polite greetings in passing as they rushed on their separate ways.

This was what the Uchiha were truly like, no less of a family than the Senju or any other clan. Witnessing it almost made her feel guilty. 'So this is what Sasuke got robbed of...'

"Are you getting tired, Sakura-san?" Izuna asked, concern.

"I'm fine. Just lost in thought. But tell me more about the compound. Like that, for example." She pointed at a stand that had quite the line, hoping to redirect Izuna's attention.

"Though we're far from being entirely self-sustaining, some Uchiha who aren't as active as shinobi have shops to support themselves. That's one of them. It sells several kinds of sweet buns."

Sakura's stomach took the opportunity to remind her that she had forgone breakfast. She was mortified by the noise it made, and clutched at her abdomen in horror, but Izuna looked unbothered.

"Excuse me, I'm feeling a little hungry. You don't mind if we stop for a snack, do you Sakura-San?" Sakura couldn't have been more grateful that he was kind enough to allow her to save face.

"If you insist,"

"I do." Izuna pulled her toward the line, which was, to Sakura's pleasure, at least moving.

The smell of fresh pastries tickled her nose as a woman walked by, munching on a bun. Sakura discreetly wiped the drool from her lips when Izuna wasn't looking. She could almost taste the custard filling of a creampan.

The woman noticed her staring and made a show of licking the custard from the corner of her mouth. "What's this? I haven't seen you in so long, and when I do, I find out I've been replaced?" Her disapproval was directed at Izuna, who had taken his eyes from the stand at the sound of her voice.

"Hello to you too, Naoko." Sakura started between them, feeling awkward. She wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but the beautiful dark-haired woman was studying Izuna with betrayed eyes.

Sakura watched "Naoko" finish the rest of her sweet bun and suck her finger clean. "You're so cruel, pretending nothing's wrong between us."

Izuna stared blankly. "Because there is nothing wrong between us. There's nothing between us at all, and I'd thank you to stop making Sakura-san uncomfortable."

sakura began loosening her grip on Izuna's arm, worried she may appear too forward in front of this strange woman who was watching them with so much intensity.

Izuna caught her hand as she stepped away and used it to pull her back to his side. "Sakura-san, this is Naoko. An old friend."

Naoko tittered behind a small hand. "I'm sorry, but the thought of embarrassing little Izuna-chan there is just too fun."

Sakura took a side-long glance at Izuna. He looked more annoyed than embarrassed, and she was positive her cheeks were the only ones burning up.

"It's so thrilling to finally meet Izuna's Sakura-san." She cooed suggestively.

"Naoko," he warned, his jaw twitching.

She closed one eye, shaking her head with a sigh. "You never allow me to have any fun. I'll behave, alright?" Her dark eyes glittered as they met Sakura's.

"In all sincerity, Izuna speaks highly of you. If I didn't know better, I'd say you've managed to impress Madara too."

Sakura couldn't keep herself from gaping at that news. "What do you mean?"

Naoko's bottom lip jutted out in confusion. "You haven't figured it out? Well, Madara is a tough one to read, for the most part. Or at least he pretends to be."

"I think what she means to say is, my brother may appear dismissive, but it's clear when you're mentioned that you've gained his respect in at least some regard."

"Y-You really think so?" Sakura blushed.

"Is it true you put Tobirama Senju on his ass?" Naoko asked with an eager gleam in her eye.

Sakura felt the back of her neck and confirmed that it was, indeed, very warm. To be confronted about her spar with Tobirama was something she hadn't planned on.

"It was a spar."

"A spar you won." Izuna was uncharacteristically smug all of a sudden. "Madara came home quite amused about that. I have to say, that's a sight I wouldn't have minded witnessing myself."

"Oh Izu-chan," Naoko sighed. "Have I ever told you how attractive you are when you're being sadistic? Because you are. When you get like this..." she paused, her face flushing madly.

Izuna ignored her, turning to Sakura. "It isn't that I still hold hostility toward the Senju...this is a new era of peace, and as long as the Uchiha are treated with respect, I'm willing to give this alliance a chance. Even Kagami has made friends with a Senju from what I understand. But..." he grit his teeth.

"But some individuals are harder to forgive than an entire group." Sakura finished knowingly.

"It was awful," Naoko frowned. "That Senju gutted Izuna like a fish and left him to die like it was nothing. Still keeps Madara awake at night."

'How does she know what keeps him awake at night?' Sakura thought. Then, it was as if her subconscious rose up to smack the naivety out of her. 'Oh...' That was an image of a Madara she truly didn't need.

"Next!" Sakura looked up to see the man running the sweet bun stand looking at them expectantly. "You're still buying, aren't you?"

This time, it was Sakura who tugged Izuna along with her.

"See you around Izu-chan. Remember to be the gentleman I expect you to be with Sakura-san." The wink she gave them as she strolled away made it hard to look Izuna in the eye.

"Ignore it. Naoko's always that way." Izuna whispered. "We'll have four anpan, please." he told the vendor.

The man began preparing a small box containing the snacks.

"She seemed to know you really well..."

"Did you think I was lying when I said she was simply an old friend?" Izuna smirked.

Sakura frantically shook her head. "N-no...even if she wasn't, it's none of my business."

"Rest assured, Naoko is a childhood friend to both Madara and I."

He handed the vendor money for their sweet buns and accepted the package before Sakura had time to protest about him paying. "Let's find somewhere quiet to eat these."

Sakura couldn't deny she was still hungry. It wouldn't help her credibility with the clan heads if she went into the meeting on an empty stomach and couldn't concentrate.

~ASiT~

"Somewhere quiet" turned out to be the dock of a man-made lake. Sakura couldn't stop marveling on how big the space the Uchiha lived on was. It was a sizable three acres, at least, if not more.

"Help yourself." Izuna gestured to the box of sweets, and Sakura took an anpan, biting into it slowly. The flavor on her tongue was delicious, and she tried not to shove it into her mouth in one bite.

"They're very good, aren't they? Hatsu makes them fresh every day. He hasn't been able to return to the battlefield since a bad leg injury years ago, and he turned to baking. The whole clan is happy, and a little plumper for it." Izuna explained, taking a bite of his own anpan.

"I haven't had anpan in so long...when I was feeling down or someone was mean to me, my mother would take me to a bakery and we'd talk it out over these..." Those were during her academy days, when her mother was always fussing over her. Sakura always felt a little sad they'd gotten so estranged the more time she had spent advancing her shinobi career.

Mebuki had indulged her daughter entering the academy, but the kunoichi knew in the back of her mind that it was something her mother half expected her to grow out of, retiring from shinobi life to settle down at a young age, like she had.

But Sakura fell further in love with being a ninja every year, and after taking up her apprenticeship under Tsunade, she couldn't imagine retiring only to waste her skills when she could be helping others.

"I'm not sure I have such I have memories like those anymore. My earliest memories are Madara showing me how to hold a sword, helping me back up when our father knocked me down while we trained."

It was hard to reconcile the image of the ruthless man who had single-handedly mowed through ninja during the war, with a kind, reliable brother, but she and Izuna had vastly different experiences involving Madara, so she shouldn't really be surprised.

"I know what you're thinking." Izuna startled her by saying. "That's hard to imagine, but it's true."

"Even if...even if I can't see what you do in him, I don't doubt he cares for you as much as you do him." Sakura nibbled on her anpan.

"I meant what I said back there. Your spar impressed Madara. I think he wouldn't mind facing you himself, the way he was talking."

An image of being impaled by one of his rods during battle flashed in her mind, and she placed a hand on the spot. Without the knowledge she had from Tsunade, she would have been a goner.

"Is what Naoko said true too? That you almost died?"

Izuna's whole mood soured instantly, and Sakura wanted to smack herself. "It was a fatal wound. The healers couldn't save me."

"That can't be true...you're...I mean you're here."

Izuna turned his whole body to face her. "If I told you what Madara told me, you really would call me a liar."

"Pretend I wouldn't," Sakura breathed, her heart hammering.

"I don't remember any of this, mind you...but according to Madara." He shook his head, brow furrowed in consternation. "No. Even repeating it aloud makes it sound far fetched."

"I've seen a lot of far-fetched things." Sakura pressed. And lately even moreso.

"According to Madara, the healers said I would die befor the end of the week. That was when a woman no one had ever seen before appeared. She was beautiful, and almost too graceful to be human. She said she could heal me...and she did."

Alarm flashed through her. 'It can't be!'

"Did he say what she looked like?" She was almost afraid to hear the answer. 'Please don't say she had dragon horns!'

"He said she hid her face, but...he caught a glimpse of her eyes, and they looked sharp, cunning. A little like a snake's. The most unbelievable part is the way he says she saved me...by pulling a black butterfly from my side, and eating it."

The confirmation of what she'd already guessed slammed into her, making her feel light-headed. Mizuchi saved Izuna...why? What was she planning. Sakura hadn't even known Izuna then, had she?

"It sounds ridiculous, but here I am." Izuna laughed, expecting her to laugh too.

Sakura didn't. Her face was drained of color. "It's not ridiculous."

Izuna stopped laughing and gently took her hand. "Sakura-san?" The second anpan she'd started to eat was forgotten as she stared out over the calm lake. Mizuchi was calculating about every move she made. Reviving Izuna from the brink of death couldn't be any different.


Madara bowed to the next clan head to arrive, Shinpachi Shimura, masking his displeasure with the whole affair under a stone face of indifference. As usual, it was Hashirama's fault. He had insisted that the Uchiha should host the meeting, because other clans were still wary of them, and proving themselves as hosts would raise positive sentiment. It was a nice thought, but hardly worth the hassle. Madara wasn't one to put on airs. He didn't particularly care who felt what about his clan. They had been misunderstood long before he took over as clan head.

"You're glaring again." Hashirama whispered from beside him. Madara proceeded to glare harder in defiance.

Sasuke Sarutobi entered the hall, greeting Hashirama first, and then bowing respectfully at Madara. "We're happy you could make it Sasuke." Hashirama said. "Please have a seat anywhere inside."

"Thank you," The Sarutobi bowed again, walking into the meeting room. So far he was keeping company with Shimura, Akamichi, Aburame, Nara, and Hashirama's rotten little brother. One of many reasons he'd chosen to stand outside the door with Hashirama to greet guests as they arrived. Izuna should have been there, suffering with him.

He stared down the hall impatiently. "What's wrong?" Hashirama asked, looking ridiculously eager, as if getting every one on the same page would be a simple matter. Optimistic fool.

"We're missing Izuna and Haruno."

"Huh? They're right there," He followed the line of Hashirama's finger to see Izuna escorting Sakura Haruno down the hall as if he didn't have a care in the world. Madara decided to ignore how at ease she looked, holding onto Izuna as if they were lovers just getting back from a stroll of leisure.

It was harder to ignore her appearance, however. It was the first time he had seen her dressed formally, her hair styled and her lips painted. The green of her eyes was sharper as she briefly met his stare and then pointedly ignored him.

The snugness of her baby pink kimono made the curves normally hidden by the loose yukatas he always saw her in more pronounced, harder to ignore. Izuna looked proud of himself, to have her hanging from his arm. His brother reminded him of a reckless young samurai who had been designated to escort the daughter of a lord.

Madara decided he was doing a valiant effort in hiding his ire at the two of them. While he had been dreading the start of the meeting, Izuna was off frolicking with Haruno, leaving the stuffy greetings to him.

"Where were you?" he demanded. Madara's glare traveled to her hand resting in the crook of Izuna's arm. Hashirama noticed too, but his eyes suggested he was more disappointed than irritated. Hashirama, being the fool that he was, likely would've escorted Haruno himself if he was given the chance.

"Showing Sakura-san around." Izuna replied evenly. When had his brother become such a big little shit?

"We're ready to begin," Madara cleared his throat. "Unless you're plannng to take an afternoon boat ride on the lake?"

"Thank you once again for agreeing to this Sakura-san." Hashirama eased his way into the conversation.

"It's no trouble at all." Sakura grinned. Madara narrowed his eyes at her, and she narrowed hers right back. This was what made her simultaneously amusing and frustrating.

Hashirama sighed loudly as they watched Izuna and Haruno walk into the room together, immediately catching the attention of everyone already inside.

"I didn't realize your brother and Sakura-San had become so close..." he lamented.

"That makes two of us." Madara mumbled to himself.


Sakura knew almost instantly who was who. The rotund man at the farthest end of the table was without a doubt the head of the Akamichi. The lean man with dark hair to his shoulders, an eye patch and a look that said he'd rather be napping, leaning against the table, was the head of the Nara clan.

Sakura was both surprised but a little elated when she noticed a dark haired woman with bangs falling into her eyes and a kimono with a collar that rose to cover her mouth. Something about her presence reminded her of Chisato, and so she decided that the woman was an Aburame.

She didn't recognize the brown-haired man sitting on one side of the Nara with his arms crossed, but there was no mistaking the white hair and piercing red eyes of Tobirama.

Hashirama and Madara followed them into the room, taking seats closer to the head of the table. Sakura found herself sitting between Izuna and the Hokage, Tobirama directly across from her.

"Now, I believe we're ready to begin. Everyone should have received a copy of the proposal for the academy with their invitation."

"Indeed." agreed the Akamichi. "But shouldn't we all begin by introducing ourselves. I'm afraid I'm not familiar with everyone here."

"Good idea Chouto. As our host, maybe we should let Madara begin."

Sakura laughed a little in her head at the not so subtle look of contempt Madara shot him. "Madara Uchiha."

"D-Don't you have a little more to say?" Hashirama urged.

"No." The Uchiha said shortly. "I'll leave the babbling to you."

Most of the table chuckled goodnaturedly, including Hashirama himself. "Fair enough," the Hokage straightened himself in his seat. "I'll go next. I'm Hashirama Senju. I, along with my brother, will be representing the Senju clan's wishes today."

Sakura couldn't help but notice how handsome he was in his deep green kosode, a tan haori resting over it, and his hair pulled away from his face in a low ponytail.

All eyes trailed to Sakura, the one sitting next to Hashirama, and she squared her shoulders. "I'm Sakura Haruno. I'm here to represent civilian interests in this discussion."

"So you yourself are a civilian?" The man she didn't recognize grunted.

"I'm a kunoichi, actually." She gave him a sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"No first rate shinobi, man or woman, can make it without the proper lineage behind them." Right out of the gate, Sakura knew this man would probably be her biggest detractor the entire meeting.

"I'd have to humbly disagree." Sakura replied. "Maybe you see it as unconventional or improper, but with equal attention, civilian children are more than capable of keeping up with their peers. That's why I'm here."

"Shinpachi...I've seen Sakura in action firsthand. Maybe we oughta just let her speak?" Sarutobi added. The man sent her a wink and she beamed.

"You're all willing to listen to this?" Shinpachi asked incredulously.

"We came all the way here...so why not?" asked the Nara. "No reason to waste a trip."

Shinpachi settled back in his seat, clearly dissatisfied.

"Let's quickly get through the introductions, and then we can each raise our points." Izuna tapped her clenched fist under the table, a silent plea not to use physical violence on the pompous man. "I am Izuna Uchiha. I, along with my brother, will represent the interests of the Uchiha here today. I also work with some of the children in our clan, teaching them katon and bukijutsu techniques."

"I am Chouto Akamichi." The man across from Izuna introduced. The swirls on his cheeks and physical bulk made his clan obvious. "I represent the Akamichi clan here today." He nudged the man sitting next to him, who had started to doze off.

He stretched, not even bothering to disguise his yawn. "I'm Doi Nara." he adjusted his eyepatch. "I represent the Nara here today."

"I'm Sasuke Sarutobi. I'll be representing the Sarutobi clan." Sarutobi hadn't changed at all since she'd seen him last. He still had a thick, neatly trimmed beard, dark hair in a stylish topknot, and a natural casualness. The only different was the deep red kimono he had traded for the armor she had last seen him in.

The gruff man who hadn't stopped scowling since being effectively shut down held his head up until his nose was in the air. "I am Shinpachi Shimura and I represent the interests of the Shimura clan. I look forward to the argument you present to plead your case, kunoichi-san."

Sakura opened her mouth to give him a scathing retort when she felt a foot nudge hers underneath the table. At first, she suspected it to be Izuna, but it was Tobirama who caught her eye and gave her a discreet shake of his head. 'It's what he wants.' his eyes said.

Sakura silently conceded to his point. Shimura had heard her introduce herself, and yet he called her kunoichi, to mock her. Rising to the bait was exactly what he was hoping she would do.

The small woman with the quiet, knowing air spoke in her soft, clear voice. "I am Ayeka Aburame. I represent the Aburame clan." Sakura noticed with some anger the look of disdain Shimura sent her, but the Aburame only tilted her head in polite greeting.

Last was Tobirama, also looking much different than normal in a teal kimono and deep blue haori. His white hair was free of his happuri, leaving it to fall across his forehead. "I am Tobirama Senju. I, along with my brother, am here to represent the Senju today. I believe we are all clear on the matter of the academy being proposed, and what this means as the next step toward creating unity within the village among the next generation. Of course, not everyone is in agreement on how this should be done. We will each be given time to state our opinions, and explain them."

He looked at Shimura blankly, "Shimura, why don't we get your drivel out of the way first?"

Shimura's face immediately reddened, and Sakura heard the Hokage sputter on a cough beside her. He was an interesting mixture of appalled and shocked by his brother's words.

Sakura did her best not to laugh at Shimura's anger. Who knew there would be something on which she and Tobirama could agree?


I did my best with this chapter, and if there are any typos or errors in grammar I'll try to get around to fixing them later. My computer refused to connect to my WiFi for some reason, but my tablet would, so I had to type the last third of this chapter out on my iPad. Not the easiest experience. I fought autocorrect the whole way... And so if anything is wonky towards the end, that's likely why. Since this chapter was so lengthy, and continued to be lengthier, I had to conclude it here. The rest of the meeting will be in next chapter. I wanted it all in this one, but it's truly frustrating to be typing about 5,000 words on a tablet. Wouldn't be so bad if I had my keyboard, but I don't. I probably won't be able to get back to updating for a while. I have other fics that will get my attention when I have the free time, and a lot going on with college too. Hope everyone enjoyed this update.

I will say that the slow burn picks up a little starting next chapter and there's plenty of TobiSaku/MadaSaku to come in the next big arc. Then there will be a big arc featuring the other two pairs but more on that later.

I had fun writing my own wish fulfillment for what I wanted to see in this chapter. I think that's the only way I can continue to write this fic, by doing exactly what I want, no matter how anyone else feels about it. *insert emoticon shrug here* On a slightly related note, I no longer am accepting "constructive criticism". I technically never asked for it to begin with, and while I respect it and completely see its value, I have a few trusted voices I listen to when I need a sounding board, but the rest of the time, I'm not looking for critique. Please see my profile for details on why I don't like concrit from this site if you want.