Greetings,
Yes, I changed the name of my story. I'm so sorry, but I really thought that this one would work better! I mean Hanagakure was okay but this one sounds a whole lot better. I even rotate the name from English to Japanese for the words 'leaf' and 'flower'. It basically is suppose to symbolize Sakura going from being a Leaf Shinobi to a Flower Shinobi. Sorry about that if it throws you off.
So I decided to fix the problem of changing it on you and giving you chapter four a little earlier then planned.
This, honestly, is one of my favorite chapters. I wrote this without any intention of picking up a OC that will be around a bit, but I did. I orignally would just make him flirt a bit, him being 30 years too old for Sakura, and blend into the background... But then he started being interesting...
Onoki of the Double Scales is the name of the Tsuchikage. I looked it up. The people who translate the online Manga didn't translate his name, so I had to search for it. Luckily, he had said it and someone was able to translate it right. I do not know the Japanese word of double scales, so tough luck. It is in English.
I would just like to say thank you to the people who took the time to review! I really do appreciate your reviews and do know that I have read most of your fan fictions, those of you who signed, and if not, I usually end up checking to see if you have stories that I will like.
But until next opening notes, that is all the answering time I have. But do know that I am taking your comments into consideration when I read them.
That is all my notes for now. I will write some end notes, but until then...
From Konoha to Hana
ARC 1
Chapter 4
Sparrow Hawk
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or this would be where the story line would progress. I also didn't think up Ino's witty nickname for pregnant Sakura. I don't know who, but it wasn't my original idea.
"Paradox though it may seem, it is nonetheless true that life imitates art far more the art imitates life." -Oscar Wilde
Things had been going well since her ultrasound. She was no longer sulking about her predicament, and on occasion Ino had caught her humming a lullaby as she rubbed circles on her stomach.
She still didn't like it when other's talked or felt her tummy, but for her, it was progress.
Ino just hoped that she would make more so that she could talk to the baby or at least feel it kick once before Sakura went into labor. According to the pinkette, the baby still kicked a lot.
Ino giggled to herself as she tended to the gardens, Sakura resting in her room with a few papers she needed to look over.
It was about mid-day. Early morning updates had been finished, and Sakura had already handled the needs of the families that had moved here and finished instructing the small class she was giving to the understaffed hospital members.
She had been busy all morning and by the time Ino had banned her to her room, she was willing.
Ino shifted the dirt a bit before patting it down. The plants in the garden were doing good and all of them were in tip top shape. She stood up to go to the nearest greenhouse to check on that, but was distracted by the large flying bird in the sky.
She had known Sakura's lover used clay birds as his vessel of transportation and her stomach dropped as she feared it was him. He, no matter who his lover was, was still wanted by Konoha and by alliance Hana until the Hokage deemed otherwise.
She prayed a quick prayer as she ran towards the landing sight, which was their town square, most of the shinobi already prepared to attack. But everyone froze when the bird made a last minute motion and landed at the entrance of the Hanakage's house.
Ino ran quickly, ready to launch at the first sign of aggressiveness, but a large and powerful booming voice stopped her dead in her tracks.
"What is the world is this?" A voice that was not young, nor remotely as Sakura would put it 'melt like chocolate' silky.
It was an old man standing as a graying blonde man squatted next to him, piloting the bird.
"I do not know, hm," The man next to him replied looking around just as confused, "This was not here last time. I should know, I took you to these hot springs not even three months ago, hm."
The little old man looked around as his traveling partner stood to full height. He was older then Ino by at least 30 years, but the only thing that gave away his age was the grey streaks in his once golden hair. He did not have a single wrinkle on his face, just like Tsunade. His hair was long, but kept out of his face by putting it in a braid that rested on his chest. His ocean blue eyes looking at the stunned shinobi.
"What are you doing here, hm?" He asked sharply as he gazed at Ino.
"We live here," Ino explained dumbly before Hanabi came to save the day.
"By order of the Hokage, and with the permission of the Lord of Fire, leaf shinobi were given a chart to this land to create a branch village. This is Hanagakure." Hanabi said before looked at the men, bowing her head lightly, "And who may you two trespassers be?"
"How dare you call us trespassers!" The old man hollered as he hopped down, revealing the white robes he wore, "I am the Tsuchikage! Onoki of the Double Scales!"
"Tsuchikage-sama," Hanabi corrected herself as she lowered her head more, "Please forgive my rudeness. I never thought one as yourself would come this far into the Land of Fire."
"He does so because of the healing properties of the hot springs we build the hotel nearby," Sakura's voice could be heard as she slowly made her way over, "Is that not it, my Lord?"
Sakura looked extremely calm today, but Ino credited that to her being wore out. It looked as if she had been fiddling with the baby's room since in one hand was a book and the other was that white bird stuffed animal. Probably her favorite one next to the fox.
Her hair was for the most part down toady with a couple twists that Ino had put in it earlier and a couple feathers that had pulled the outfit together nicely. The dress was pure white spaghetti strap dress that went to her calves, rising in the front a bit because of her stomach. But what really made the outfit special was the two white wings that stuck out of the back gracefully and made her seem like an angel out of heaven. Several white ribbons tied to her arms and forearms as well as the laced-up flats she wore.
The Tsuchikage and the blonde man both stopped what they had been doing as stared at the jade eyed beauty.
"Onoki-sama," Sakura called out to him as she looked at him with weary eyes, "Is that not what you are here for?"
"Yes," calling him by his name had pulled him back, "it is."
Sakura nodded gracefully as she motioned for Ino to come to her, which she did immediately.
"Then please, by all means, stay, enjoy, and seek shelter at my home. I and my assistant, Ino will ready beds for you and your companion to stay." Sakura said with a smile.
The Tsuchikage just nodded dumbly as the other man just blinked a couple times, still not understanding what had just happened.
"Hanabi-chan, take these fine gentlemen to the hot springs. If they wish a tour, give it to them," Sakura said as she looked at her, then shifted her gaze to someone else, "Kurenai-san, please assist Ino and I with preparing a meal for our guest. As for the rest of you, the threat has passed, please continue with your work."
"Yes, Hanakage-sama," All the members of the village said at once before bowing to the rosette, who just nodded in return.
She turned to look at the two Iwa-nins and smiled, "I shall see you later tonight, Tsuchikage-sama, honored guest."
"Wait," Oroki said as he stared at the girl, "What is your name? I believe I have heard it before."
"Haruno Sakura, apprentice of Senju Tsunade, the fifth Hokage; personal best friends with Uzumaki Naruto, the sixth Hokage." Sakura said with a smile, "Does that answer your question, my Lord?"
"Yes," Onoki said as he nodded solemnly, "I thank you, Sakura-sama, for your hospitality. On my honor as Tsuchikage, nothing we do will be harmful for you and your people."
"I thank you," Sakura said before slowly heading back to her home, getting the quiet lecturing of Ino for exerting herself.
"That woman is quite gutsy," The Iwa ninja said to his kage as he made his bird small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, tucking it away in a clay pouch, "Confronting us in that state of hers, hm."
"That," Onoki said as he began to follow the Hyuuga woman to the hot springs, "was no ordinary woman. She could have probably destroyed anything you could throw at her, Meishou Haitaka."
"My son could do that too," Haitaka said with a bitter laugh, "But no one understood him."
Hanabi bowed out as soon as she had led them to the men's sections. Leaving the two to talk alone. Onoki could tell the younger man was upset about his son, so he tried again to apologize.
"I'm still sorry for the sins I have committed against you old friend," Onoki said as he relaxed into the water, "I would do anything for you to make it up. You know that."
"Hm…" Haitaka said with a nod, "I know you would, but it makes no difference now."
He, too, dipped into the water as soon as he removed the articles of clothing from his body, wrapping his waist in a towel.
"I feel old, you know that, hm?" He said as he looked at his kage, "Seeing that little woman reminded me of my wife when we were trying to have our first born."
"Ah," Onoki said with a wiry grin, "But that's why you're always the one who takes me to these hot springs. To relieve your own sore bones."
"Not that old yet, you old coot," Haitaka said with a small frown, "I'm only old enough to be a grandpa."
"But you aren't and you aren't going to be, just like me, so accept it and move on."
"You're a lousy godfather, you know that, hm?"
"Nah, just an old man bored out of his mind. I wonder what young Sakura-sama will have for us when we get back." The Tsuchikage said with a silly grin on his face, "If only I was a few years younger."
"You mean decades, right? Cause I doubt she would even look at you then, hm. She's already interested in another, you can tell by the size of her womb, hm."
Onoki just pouted as Haitaka pulled his mouth into a teasing smirk.
"You're just mean."
"Nah, just a realistic kind of artist, hm."
Ino looked at Sakura like she had gone stark crazy mad. There she was, in the kitchen, cooking. Ino was not about to stand for that.
"What do you think you are doing?" She asked the rosette as calmly as she could.
"Cooking for the Tsuchikage and his guard." Sakura said, not looking up from her cooking as Kurenai assisted Ino.
"What I think Ino means is, you should be resting." Kurenai said in a much calmer tone then Ino could ever pull off.
"Nonsense, I'm fine. Plus, we need this to go off without a hitch. Currently we do not have enough people to protect us and help cook, so there is only so much I can not do without feeling helpless. I am helping, or so help me I will go out and break something." Sakura said as she finished mixing the ingredients in the bowl.
"Forehead," Ino sighed as she pulled Sakura away from the kitchen counter and sat her in a chair, all the while taking the bowl away from her, "You need to relax. You've been working way too hard. Now either you go back upstairs and take a nap, or I will tie you to your bed and knock you out."
Sakura grumbled angrily as she began to march unhappily, actually more like waddle, up the stairs. Ino only gave her a minute before handing the project over to Kurenai and checking on the usually disobedient kage.
She was right, Sakura had tried to go elsewhere, she had tried to go into the baby's room, but Ino had steered her into her own room.
"I need to put the stuffed animal back, Ino," Sakura said as she lifted the bird by the wing lightly to show she still had it.
"Just keep it," Ino said as she directed her onto her bed, pulling off the woman's shoes since she couldn't, "Not like the baby's going to be using it until after its born."
Sakura sighed as she slowly laid herself down, placing a hand on her stomach and rubbing, "This child is really heavy and big. I just hope I can make it to its due date."
"You will forehead, now take a nap and if they aren't back within an hour, I'll wake you and then you can help cook. Not a minute before then."
"Hai, hai, pig," Sakura said as her eyelids grew heavy and soon she was fast asleep with the bird tucked under her arm that rested on her midsection.
Ino couldn't help but quietly take a picture of this. It had to be one of the best ones of Sakura.
"Night Sakura-chan," Ino said as she quietly snuck out of the room to prepare for the guests.
She had no intention of even waking the kage until the men were coming into view.
Sakura couldn't help but glare at her friend who twiddled her thumbs like the guilty woman she was. She had 'forgotten' to wake Sakura and if it hadn't been for one extremely hard kick from her baby, she wouldn't have woken for another hour or so.
"Really Ino, I need to handle this properly and you not doing as your told is not helping this situation we are in!"
"Chill out Sakurazilla," Ino said as she waved her hand in front of her own face, "it's not like they're back."
"Yes," Sakura said but then sighed as she set a vase of flowers Ino had designed in the center of the table, "But the one that had come with the Tsuchikage is like him."
Ino froze as she finally understood Sakura's worries, "You mean a four-mouthed god of the bed?"
Sakura rolled her eyes, glad Kurenai had gone out to check up on Hanabi and the men, "Yes Ino, a four-mouthed god of the bed. Really can you think of nothing else but men and their procreation tools?"
"Awe, so you admit that the mouths are tools for procreation," Ino said slyly with a Cheshire grin plastered on her face as Sakura's whole face went red.
"I didn't say that Ino-pig! Don't go saying things like that! It's private!"
"What's private, hm?"
Both Ino and Sakura spun around to see both Haitaka standing at the doorframe, obviously having only heard the last thing Sakura had said.
"She was asking me if I knew how you made the bird," Sakura lied easily, having practiced on one like this man, "I told her that you had a kekkei genkai that allowed you to do so… and well… Ino-san thought I had said something I did not."
"Yes," Ino said smoothly as well, "She was explaining how Kekkei Genkais are suppose to transfer genetically, and well, we were wondering exactly what yours look like, your Kekkei Genkai that is."
"Ah," the blonde man said as he pulled off glove that protected his hand, letting a tongue roll out of his hand, "These are what allows me to bring the bird to life."
"Mouths?" Ino asked, looking shocked, which she really was.
No matter how many times Sakura had explained the concept to her, seeing the real deal was a different matter. Sakura didn't even look fazed.
"Thank you for showing us, er…" Ino stopped hoping to get a name.
"Meishou Haitaka," Haitaka said as he offered out his hand to shake.
Ino flinched back at the tongue that rolled out, but it was Sakura that grabbed on and shook back, making up for her assistant's faux pas. Haitaka seemed entertained as he shook her hand strongly, licking her hand as he did so, until she squeezed his hand with an innocent smile on her face.
Onoki didn't understand when he walked in why his godson was on the ground squirming pathetically as he tried get his hand free as the small pregnant woman stood there looking very amused at the man's pained attempts.
"Haitaka, don't go acting strange, this kind woman has offered us a meal and rooms for our visit. Thank her instead of playing charades."
"I'm not, hm," he replied with a pained whimper, "Please make her let go."
To this Sakura just answer coyly, "Why didn't you ask me to let go, dear Haitaka-san, I would have released if you had just asked of it from me."
With that she released his hand which he began to cradle, still lying on the floor, not yet ready to get up as he tried to blink back the pain.
"I think she broke it, hm," he moaned as he looked up at his leader, "Can she get away with that?"
"I didn't see anything, but I know this, I warned you about her strength. So don't go making enemies with a woman who can shatter a mountain to pieces. You're just lucky it was only your hand." The Tsuchikage said before laughing at the man's misfortune.
"Why me, hm?"
Both the Hanakage and the Tsuchikage had gone into the other room, Sakura showing off her home to the interested Onoki, leaving Haitaka on the ground and Ino there to assist him.
"Because my leader has a terrible temper. She just handles it better then most people." Ino said as she squatted down and reaching for the man's hand, "You should see her with Naruto, I think they keep record of how far she can hit him. Here let me see your hand."
Ino became a bit tempered when the man pulled his hand away and got up, "It's fine now, hm."
Ino could tell by the way it was already starting to swell that is wasn't fine.
"I doubt that Haitaka-san," Ino said as she stood to full height too, "Just let me see it."
"I said it was fine," Haitaka snapped, glaring testily at the other blonde, "I don't need you looking at it."
The next moment he was back on the floor cradling his hand again. Sakura and Onoki had returned to hear him argue, so Sakura gently grabbed his hand to see if he was telling the truth.
Obviously not.
"What are you doing, Haitaka? Just let her look at your hand," Onoki said as he laughed at his subordinate's reaction.
"No, I can't," Haitaka said with a glare.
It suddenly made sense to Sakura. Deidara had always been more reluctant for healing sessions with her when it came to his hands or the left side of his chest. It was too close to the Kekkei Genkai. Sakura knew the only way to even heal it was to hold him down and heal him.
"Please forgive this very bold move of mine," She whispered to Onoki before gracefully pinning down the very surprised Haitaka and beginning to poke and prod at his hand, seeing where she had damaged it.
Ino just stood there dumbfounded by Sakura's daring move, while Onoki was laughing his head off as Haitaka yelped in pain, trying to get the pregnant woman, who had flipped him onto his stomach and pulled his wounded arm around so she could inspect it, off of his back.
"Let go!" He yelled as he tried to pull away.
Sakura was quick. She checked the damage she had caused and mended the broken bones quickly, but not before numbing the hand a bit to make sure he didn't feel as the bones moved back into their proper places. She had experience with Deidara's hands. He would often break a finger or bone in his hand and she would have to shift it back. The Kekkei Genkai made the bones arch a bit, but she had already been expecting it. The healing didn't take more then a minute.
"Good as new," Sakura said as she forcefully bent his hand this way and that to make sure there were no problems before sticking her hand out to Ino to pull her up.
Haitaka wasted no time putting distance between him and the crazy rosette once he was free from her hold, somewhat cowering behind his kage. Onoki laughing the whole time at his godson's reaction to the events.
"Does it feel better?" Sakura asked as she straightened her clothes and headed for a seat at the table.
"Yeah…" Haitaka said with a pout, flexing his hand to check, "It's fine now, hm."
"That's good," Sakura said with a smile, sitting as she did, "Please, sit down. Ino will be more then happy to fetch our food."
Ino inwardly cursed. Sakura was using her previous arguments against her. She bowed her head though as the Tsuchikage and Haitaka sat down on the right side of the table, opposite of where Sakura had seated herself.
"You seem a bit understaffed, Hanakage-sama," the Tsuchikage said as he looked around, "I have yet to see anyone in here other then you and Ino-san."
"That is because we are understaffed," Sakura said boldly as she smiled at him, "You might have noticed, but this village basically just popped up here in a matter of months."
"We did," Haitaka said, "And I find that curious, hm."
"Curious how Meishou-san?" Sakura asked, watching as Ino reappeared with the food, gracefully placing the platters in the center and placing the teapot in the center.
Dinner was ready to eat.
"I find it strange that you built all this in less then three months," Haitaka said before adding, "Call me Haitaka, if you would please, hm. Meishou is my title, not name."
"I see," Sakura said, getting up for a moment and poured her guests the tea before sitting back down and pouring herself one, building up to what she was about to say next, "Well, we had some very skilled artisans come and assist us, though they wouldn't call themselves that, much too uninterested in art to understand how beautiful they made this place. We are still building and designing, but the basic structure is finished."
"Hm," Haitaka said before thinking, "How many artisans?"
Sakura, loving the over dramatic-ness of how Deidara's reactions were, decided to see if his clan was a lot like him. She waited for Haikata to take a large sip of tea and before he swallowed, she answered him.
"Two."
Haitaka couldn't help but spit out the tea as he started coughing, Ino just glared at Sakura. She had been in Haitaka's range and was now covered in tea.
"Two?" Haitaka said as he gasped for air between coughs, "What the hell, hm?"
"I highly doubt there were just two men, Hanakage-sama," Onoki said as he frowned at her, patting Haitaka on the back hard as the man tried to clear his passage ways.
Deidara's clan was definitely fun to mess with.
"Oh, but there were only two. Everyone else is adding the details now, but there were only two that created the buildings," Sakura said as she slowly sipped her tea, "Uzumaki Naruto and a former captain of mine."
"Hm… Uzumaki huh? Isn't he known for his insanely large chakra coils," Onoki asked as Haitaka stopped coughing so hard.
"Yes," Sakura answered, "Add Kage no Bushin to that and you have an army of any size."
Onoki laughed loudly at that idea as he thumped Haitaka on the back once again, causing the graying blonde to jump, "Now that is funny!"
Ino, who had cleaned herself of the tea, decided to remind the other tablemates about dinner, "Please don't forget to eat while the food is hot."
"Yes, hm," Haitaka agreed as he looked at Onoki, "It would be rude not to eat it now. Since they went to all the trouble to make it for us, hm."
"Honored guests, please serve yourselves first," Sakura said as she sipped on her tea, "Ino and I can wait till after you have taken your first serving."
Onoki and Haitaka both nodded in thanks as they served themselves. Haitaka waiting till his kage had finished taking what he wanted, then taking some himself. Sakura took food as soon as he was done, and Ino served herself last.
"Thank you for the meal," Both Tsuchikage and Iwa nin said before digging in.
The meal was quiet at first, no one talking as they enjoyed the food that had been prepared, but as soon as seconds were being taken, Haitaka had another question.
"I have met you, Hanakage-sama, but I have yet to meet your husband. Is he away at the moment, hm?"
"There is no husband," Sakura said with a weak smile, "Just me."
"Oh," Haitaka said as he chewed on his lip, quickly trying to think of something else to cover his mistake. "This place, I have only seen a bit of it but it is different from other villages, hm. I was wondering why that is."
"It is because I fancy art," Sakura told him with a weak smile, poking at her food as she did, "This place… It's my dream to make it an artist's paradise."
"Artist's paradise?" Onoki asked, very interested in what the young girl had to say.
Sakura nodded as she looked up at them, her eyes sparkling with excitement, "Yes, I wish to make this place a place where people can instill their art forms into their shinobi career. Every ninja able to freely create their idea of art without being judged. The village in itself is my gift to my people."
"She designed everything in the village but this place," Ino added in, causing Sakura to blush a bit.
Onoki didn't have to look at Haitaka to know what he was doing. The man had been his godson, after all, since birth and he had watched him grow to be an old man- not that Haitaka would admit it. Haitaka's aura in itself was oozing excitement and want.
Onoki knew that Haitaka's clan was in danger. As soon as he stepped down as Tsuchikage, there was going to be a wide massacre of the clay loving clan. People just didn't understand them since they were so different. Even though he had tried to pick a successor who would protect the clan, there were none.
A thought suddenly occurred to Onoki of the Double Scales, since he loved the hot springs here in this valley it would be hard to give it up. Hanagakure had the land rights to the hot springs, so he needed to give them a peace offering as a way off being able to continue going here. Not only for the hot springs, but to trade with the Hana nins. It was genius this idea, so he spoke it.
"A shame that we are not allies, Hanakage-sama," he started with a small grin.
"Yes," Sakura nodded, not knowing why the sudden change in subject, "It is. But I believe we could draw up some negotiations of trade and such if it would please you."
"Yes, it would please me." He said with a coy grin, "You see, I love the hot springs here and I love artisans and their crafts. Since you have artisans here as well as the hot springs, I would love to offer you a peace offering to show that as long as I am in rule, no harm will come to your people, nor will my people know of it's location."
Sakura blinked a couple times before stealing a glance at the equally confused Haitaka.
"I would love to accept a peace offering from you Tsuchikage, but I do not think I can offer you anything in return," Sakura said with a small frown, "We have just begun to make progress and-"
"Nonsense," Onoki said as he pointed to the ground, "How about I get to stay at your humble abode and get free access to the hot springs. As long as I am comfortable, I think it a good trade."
"A trade for what, if I may be so bold," Sakura asked, arching a brow as she stared at the little old man.
"The Gashu clan." Onoki said simply.
"What!" Haitaka exclaimed as he stood up from shock, "Your offering up the rights to my clan to her, hm!"
"Sit down Taka-chan, I know what I am offering," Onoki ordered as he looked over the gaping Sakura, "Well? What do you say."
"What do I say?" Sakura said in a shocked tone, "I really don't know what to say. Tsuchikage-sama, I-"
"Then say yes."
"But a whole clan," Sakura said a little shell shocked.
"Well," Tsuchikage said rubbing the back of his head, "You see, I too am being greedy when I offer the clan."
"Tsuchikage-sama-" Haitaka began, but was cut off.
"I told you to sit boy," Onoki said, which Haitaka did immediately, and continued, "When I step down as Tsuchikage, there will no longer be a Gashu clan. Sadly the people are already plotting the massacre."
"Is there a specific reason? Or is it just because they are being stupid and judging them for their differences?" Sakura asked, becoming a little angry at the thought.
"The latter, unfortunately," Onoki said with a sigh, "So how about it? Could you do this old man that sort of favor?"
Sakura shot a look at Ino and Ino shot a look at Sakura. They had never expected this sort of gift. More people in the village would be good, but a whole clan was wonderful news.
Sakura dimmed a bit as she thought of her secret. Deidara had never mentioned his clan name, but Haitaka was the same as Deidara so they must have been from the same clan. So before she could even accept, she had to do something: tell the truth.
"I will accept your terms of agreement," Sakura started, seeing the look of relief wash over the Tsuchikage's face, "But first I must come forward with the truth."
"What truth forehead," Ino whispered nervously, watching how Sakura touched her swollen womb as she looked at the Tsuchikage.
"And this truth would be?" Onoki asked solemnly as he stared at the rosette.
"This child of mine is the result of me falling in love with one of your nukenins." Sakura said guiltily, "That is why I was sent here to start a new life away from Konoha, to protect me and this child."
Onoki had heard what she had said and quickly ran through the list of youngish men that could have held her interest. Surprisingly, the list was very small.
"And who of my missing ninjas did you fraternize with, Hanakage-sama?"
Sakura blushed a bit as she looked down, playing with her fingers a bit as she tried to summon up the words.
"Ummm…" She said, lowering her voice a bit out of nervousness, "Deidara."
Onoki blinked once or twice as he allowed the information to sink in. He smiled a moment before bursting out in laughter, pointing over at Haitaka, speaking cheerfully between bouts of laughter.
"If anything, hahahaha, Haitaka should be, Ha ha, apologizing!" He managed to say, looking at the man he spoke about.
Haitaka was blushing as he held his hand up over his eyes, his mouth twitching a bit as he tried not to smile.
"Um… why?" Ino asked as she stared dumbfounded at the two men along with Sakura.
"Meishou Haitaka is not only the leader of the Gashu clan, but," Onoki laughed a bit harder before finishing, "but Deidara is his son."
"You're Dei-kun's Otou!" Sakura yelped as she stared at the blonde.
He nodded, not yet moving his hand away and not yet trusting his voice.
Ino burst out laughing too, "You broke his hand just a while ago for pulling a move you said only Deidara did, and now you know why! This man is his father!"
It took a good twenty minutes for all of them to compose themselves.
"So how is my son," Haitaka asked, finally able to reign in his emotions.
"I haven't seen him since he helped me conceive, but last time I checked, he still blew things up and was as cocky as always." Sakura said with a small smile.
"See, this works out wonderfully," Onoki said as he grinned happily, "You take the Gashu clan into Hanagakure and you'll have the whole lot of the clay makers, making it easier to hid your child's abilities. Not only that, but then a good understanding of the Kekkei Genkai as well."
"Oh, she already knows all about that. She's seen- ooph!" Ino was cut off when an elbow hit her ribcage.
"Zip it." Sakura hissed, a pink tint dusting her cheeks, "I want to keep that private."
The Tsuchikage just laughed louder as he clapped Haitaka on the back, "Looks like your son inherited more then just your good looks."
"I swear, I don't know why she always told you about those things, hm," Haitaka said, obviously talking about his wife.
His face was cheeks were pink too.
"Well little lady, no harm, no foul. Deidara will be under your jurisdiction now. If you ever catch the rascal that is. All we have to do is draw up the contract and the Gashu clan is as good as yours."
"Thank you Tsuchikage-sama," Sakura said as she lowered her head to bow, "I will be forever in your debt."
"No, I am in yours," Onoki said with a wiry grin, "I get to see my great great godchild. I never thought I would see the line continue when Deidara left, but now I will." He patted Haitaka on the back as he smiled even more, "Even though he's trying not to show it, he's giddy as well. Ever since his wife's passing and Deidara's deflection, he had just about given up even thinking about his line continuing."
"Yes," Haitaka said with a sigh, "I am in your debt for charming my son. I know you probably got in a lot of trouble over this, but I had only dreamed of this, hm."
Sakura smiled as she stared at Haitaka. This was more then she had ever hoped for either.
Her new village was getting a clan already.
She had family again through her child.
And she was one step closer to her dream for her village.
This truly would be an artist paradise.
That is the end. Of this chapter anyways.
I hope you liked where this is going. Sorry about the changing of names for the title, consider this as a making up of doing that.
I have a really important question.
Do you like Haitaka?
If you do, please, please, please mention it to me! I want good feedback so I know whether or not to kill him off. Please, I like him, but you are the readers. I give this power to you.
If I used words you didn't know, please mention it to me in the review.
Haitaka- Sparrow Hawk
Gashu- Artist
Meishou- Craft Master
Hana- flower
By the way. I love reviews. But I usually take a long time writing one, so I don't do it often.
But for those who do want to review, please, could you add a bit of critique in it? I know people love the usual "I love it please update" but I ask of you to add just a little bit more. More means perhaps telling me your favorite part, telling me what you think might happen, pulling out something I wrote and adding to the idea.
Like I mentioned Sasuke. He's married to Karin. Is he going to have children too? Are Sakura's and his children going to be rivals or friends?
Things like that.
So please, critique me, it will not discourage me from writing. If I make grammar errors, please, point them out.
Thanks.
Unknown Artist of Hanagakure