Sakura's eyes opened, only for them to close back quickly as the sun light harshly fell on her eyes, she didn't hate mornings or anything, but she definitely prefers not to have her eyes fried in the morning.
"Ugh, what happened?" She mumbled, her back feeling uncomfortable.
It was then that she realized she wasn't in a bed. She was outside. Memories of the night before crashed into her head causing her to groan. She remembered suddenly being in control of her body again and seeing Shisui going through a weird phase. She remembered comforting Shisui and then...blank.
'You fell asleep.' Inner supplied.
Sakura turned to her side, just to avoid the sun as she breathed in trying to come up with an explanation for her parents. Her mother's been acting weird and Sakura knew this would only make her mom act weirder. When she opened her eyes again, she realized that Shisui was right next to her. Asleep. She didn't know ghosts could sleep, but she didn't dwell on it, because for once he looked at peace.
"I should be atoning..." She remembered his words from last night.
"Whatever it is you think you've done wrong, I don't care." Sakura muttered brushing her thumb over Shisui's cheek. "It doesn't affect me like it affects you, because we'll fix it. You'll see."
"That's nice and all, but I really need you to wake him up so we can have a nice chat."
Sakura startled in surprise as another familiar voice came into view. "S-Sakumo-san?" She stuttered sitting up. She felt like a deer caught in headlights for some reason. And the slightly knowing look he had only served to confuse her more.
"Kid, wake up." Sakumo ordered slightly kicking Shisui.
"Um, Sakumo-san? Can't whatever it is wait?" Sakura asked, she didn't want to give Shisui more things to feel bad about.
"If it could have wait, then I wouldn't have come all this way here for you, now would I?" Sakumo informed, a slightly sarcastic underline to his tone.
'Whatever it is, it must be serious.' Inner deduced urging Sakura to wake Shisui up.
Sakura sighed in resignation as she shook Shisui awake, earning a raised eyebrow from Sakumo. "You can touch him?"
"Not important right now, is it?" Sakura shot back in the same slightly sarcastic tone.
Sakumo's lips quirked up in amusement as he held up his hands in defeat.
(O-O)
"I hate to be the bringer of bad news," Sakumo started eyeing the Uchiha ghost and the Haruno girl, "but according to Rin, Hokage-sama has ordered my son's Anbu squad to observe Sakura upon her return to Konohagakure."
Shisui was immediately alarmed. "Why?"
"You've befriended Naruto Uzumaki, Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi and Kiba Inuzuka. That would make anyone interested in you. Coupled with the fact that a dead Uchiha's been training you enough to make you stand out and the fact that you're not aiming to graduate early makes you seem suspicious. Never a good thing in Konohagakure."
Taking the information in Sakura turned to look at a contemplating Shisui. "What do we do?" She asked.
Shisui looked at Sakumo. "Why are you telling us this? No offense Sakumo-sama, but you're loyal to Hokage-sama so shouldn't it be a good thing for you if Sakura's ability gets exposed?" He suspiciously asked.
"I can ask you the same thing." Sakumo snipped back not saying anything as Shisui quickly glanced at Sakura. "Unlike you, I can put my personal feelings aside for the greater good of the village." The dead Hatake knew that Shisui knew what he was implying.
"You still haven't answered the question." Shisui mumbled.
"If Hokage-sama finds out, so does Danzo. You know better than I do what happens when Danzo gets involved in businesses he shouldn't, since the last time your clan ended up massacred." Sakumo bluntly said. "So it's in the village's best interest that the Hokage doesn't figure out Sakura's secret, so I'll be helping from now on."
Shisui nodded his agreement. "Thank you."
"What does he mean by Danzo being responsible for...?" Sakura trailed off looking at Shisui.
"You didn't tell her? I thought you two told each other everything. Well, it's better she knows now than later." Sakumo shrugged.
Shisui shot Sakumo a quick glare before turning to Sakura. "There's more to the story than I told you."
"I can see that." Sakura glared.
"Well, I'll leave you two to it." Sakumo waved walking away.
(O-O)
Kabuto flipped through the latest potential internship files.
This year's potentials were just as untalented as the ones from the year before so far, making Kabuto disappointed. Wasn't Konohagakure supposed to produce the best medics around?
He paused when he passed a flash of pink.
Interested, he flipped backwards and paused at the sight of emerald eyes belonging to the girl who he may or may not have broken into's room. His lips quirked into a malicious smile, remembering that the girl was self-teaching herself some advanced chakra control theories.
"Sakura Haruno, I look forward to officially meeting you." He muttered throwing the other files away.
(O-O)
"So basically, this Danzo person stole your eye and was basically the reason you died?" Sakura summed up.
'Don't forget about his clan.'
"And your clan too." Sakura belatedly added.
"You're not mad?"
"Nope, I'm just hurt." Sakura admitted frowning at Shisui. "There's probably some self-righteous reason as to why you didn't tell me, but I'll tell you again. You don't have to play the hero with me, you can be selfish. I want you to be selfish, like I am with you."
"Sakura..."
"From now on, no more secrets, alright?" Sakura smiled.
Shisui gave a small smile back. "Alright."
"Rule one of living with ninja ghosts, never trust them not to lie to you." Sakumo cut in with a bright smile earning a glare from Shisui. "I see you two have worked the issue out."
'He has this awful timing, doesn't he?' Inner grumbled crossing her arms.
"Sakumo-san, I thought you went back already." Sakura mumbled as she stood up.
"Can't. I have to make you into a prodigy or for now, make you capable of providing the image of a prodigy. We have give or take two weeks."
"Why?" Shisui asked standing up as well. "That'll only be counter-productive to their suspicions."
"It'll direct the suspicions elsewhere away from the ghost secret, which is our priority." Sakumo shortly explained to the Uchiha before turning to Sakura with a secretive smile. "How do you feel about graduating early?"
Sakura gave the Hatake a blank look.
"If you're trying to manipulate Clan kids into earning yourself a higher social standing, why graduate early? This way it won't seem like you're using them." Sakumo explained.
"They...think I'm using my friends?" Sakura mumbled in shock.
"They're paranoid." Sakumo shrugged.
"It's okay Sakura." Shisui assured patting Sakura's head. "We'll clear this whole thing up, one way or another."
Yet, Sakura still couldn't help but feel betrayed by her own village.
(O-O)
Solemn.
Not cheerful or smiling; serious.
That's the only way Sakura felt as the gates of Konohagakure came into view.
"Time to put on a show." Sakumo said giving her a humorless smile and she didn't even glance at him as she smiled.
"It's kinda creepy how she's not reacting to us." Shisui muttered.
"It'll be over once they find that she's not suspicious." Sakumo assured just as Ino Yamanaka came into view.
"Sakura!" Ino grinned tackling her best friend into a hug.
"Ino-chan, she just got here. Maybe she's tired." Inoichi Yamanaka said giving the Haruno family an apologetic look.
"Ino-chan, I missed you." Sakura genuinely said as she wrapped her arms around Ino, returning the hug. "But I'm sleepy too." She made a show of yawning.
"But you just got here!"
"Now Ino-chan, there's no need to be upset. Sakura's coming over tomorrow." Inoichi informed his daughter much to Shisui and Sakumo's confusion.
"I am?" Sakura asked in confusion.
Shisui watched on as Inoichi made a show of seeming surprised. "Didn't your parents tell you? They scheduled a checkup for you."
'Shit.' Inner summed up the situation perfectly.
(O-O)
Sakura didn't even spare her parents a glance as she went to her room.
"Sakura-chan, please talk to us!" Mebuki pleaded following her daughter.
"Oh, now you want to talk." Sakura bitterly commented stepping into her room. "It's a little too late for that, don't you think?" She closed the door in her mother's face. "Go talk to Inoichi-san, oh wait, you already did." She grumbled turning around.
Emerald eyes widened and if she hadn't known for a fact that Anbu were tailing her, she would have asked Shisui what happened in her room. As it stood, she couldn't. So she simply went along with it. "This place is a mess, must have forgotten to clean up."
"You didn't. Someone broke in. Probably the Anbu." Shisui informed taking a seat on Sakura's bed. "Props for the acting though."
However, the silent question lingered in the air. Why leave behind obvious evidence?
(O-O)
There was a knock on her door.
Sakura opened her mouth to rudely order her parents to leave her alone.
"Haruno-san?"
Only to close it. She didn't recognize that voice at all. Pursing her lips, she walked over to the door, aware that there were eyes trailed on her every move. She opened her door to see a teenage boy with onyx-eyes and ash-grey hair. "Hello, I'm Kabuto Yakushi. I'm here about that paper you sent to the hospital?"
"Yes?" Sakura's interest was peaked.
"Congratulations, you were accepted."
However Sakura's attention was no longer on the boy, but on the woman behind him. A woman with light brown hair and emerald green eyes. "Please, help my son..." She pleaded.
'Ghost.' Sakura's mind supplied as she smiled at Kabuto. "Thank you, I assume you're going to be in charge of me?"
"Correct, so I hope we'll get along." He said extending his hand.
Sakura shook it. "Likewise."
(O-O)
"Sakura?" Iruka asked as Sakura walked up to him when the class cleared out. "Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong." Sakura assured. "I just want to graduate early." She stated much to Iruka and the Anbu trailing her's confusion.
Sakumo snorted at the subtle sign of surprise his son, who was currently on duty of stalking Sakura, showed. "Wasn't expecting that, eh Kashi?" He smiled fondly at his son.
Chapter End.
Author's Note:
Well, shit didn't really go down yet I guess. But stay tuned, 'cause things are bound to fall apart at one point or another.
Questions:
1. How will everyone react to Sakura's sudden want to graduate early?
2. What's Kabuto planning?