Tsunade stared at Sakura waiting for the girl to do as she was told "Well?"

Sakura grinned a bit sheepishly "Well, Shishou, you see . . ."

"Don't tell me you're giving in before you even sign the contract?"

"No, it's not that, it's just . . ."

"Have you read the texts?"

"Of course I did Shishou, each one."

"And you've practiced molding your chakra?"

"Yes."

"Then there should be no problem!"

"But Shishou . . ."

NO BUTS! Get a move on girl, before I get old!"

Sakura jumped a bit before jogging over to the scroll the Hokage had laid out. Memories flooded over her as she bit her thumb and began writing her name. One again she followed it by pressing the blood to her finger prints and pressing them down below her name. When that was done she looked up at Tsunade.

The woman raised an eyebrow "Well? Get on with it!"

Sakura nodded and began flying through the seals, molding her chakra and then as she reached the last one she stopped; fear of the past repeating itself stopping her cold and before Tsunade could stop her she was gone.

For a brief second Tsunade contemplated following her new apprentice and then she smiled; the girl would come around, and when she had she would find her and she would show her. Until then she saw no reason why she couldn't go and get some sake.

Breathing heavily Sakura finally stopped, landing right next to the Dango shop. Leaning against the wall she tried to calm her heart. "Just finish a marathon?"

Sakura turned her head towards the voice a scowled. Shikamaru stood there, a plate full of dango in hand. "You could say that." Shikamaru raised an eyebrow in question "I might have run away from a summoning lesson with Shishou."

"I thought you already signed a contract with the monkeys?"

"Yeah and that turned out so well."

Shikamaru sighed and turned "Come on."

"Hunh?"

"This is going to be a long story, I can tell, so let's find somewhere shady where I can eat dango and you can tell it.

Sakura followed behind him until they came to the park. Sitting under a large oak Sakura began to tell her story "I tried to tell Shishou that I had already signed a contract, but she wouldn't let me get a word in."

Shikamaru took a bite of dango "Like all women."

She glared at him for the comment before continuing "I did all the steps; signed my name on the scroll and went through the hand signs and on the last one I just stopped. Memories of summoning Enma came back and I just froze; of him coming out and kicking my ass, of him calling me weak. I got scared."

Shikamaru stopped eating and stared at her "Yeah but not of what you think." Sakura stared at him and he continued "You're not scared of summoning the,"

"Slug" Sakura provided

"The slug, you're scared of being called weak. You hate that you may not live up to the Hokage's expectations."

Sakura turned away from Shikamaru's gaze as he stood. A second later a stick of dango was in her face and Sakura looked up to meet his gaze one more time "Eat this and then go summon the slug. What's the worst that can happen?"

Sakura smiled "I get squashed by a giant slug."

"And you still meet the expectations of your superior."

Sakura smiled and Shikamaru smiled back and then he was gone. Taking a bite of dango Sakura carefully contemplated Shikamaru's words and when she was done with her dango she brushed off her pants and returned to the clearing.

Tsunade was on her fifth drink when Shizune had shown up at the bar and dragged her out. It was when they were about halfway back to the tower and Shizune was only a fifth of the way through her usual rant that a large gust of wind and smoke stopped them cold. Turning in the direction of the smoke Tsunade smiled "Not Katsuya, close."

Shizune smiled, staring in the same direction "Amane is the third largest Tsunade-sama. Not to mention she's Katuya's daughter."

Tsunade nodded "We'll work on enlarging her chakra stores next. In the meantime let her practice some more."

Shizune nodded "It'll give you time to get your paper work done."

And suddenly the female Hokage was heading towards her newest pupil "then again a little one on one could help her get there quicker."