Hiruzen quietly placed his pipe in his mouth, drowning out the faint sound of the jounnin around him who were whispering and muttering about how the teams were going to be arranged.
Hearing Sakura Haruno's name being uttered by most of the ninja wasn't as surprising as when Iruka had told him that Sakura Haruno had requested to graduate earlier, effectively making her the first child to graduate early after Itachi Uchiha. She wouldn't be placing any record, but she would be garnering attention for a while. If she proves to be strong, the attention will last longer.
One might wonder why everyone was sure the girl would pass, but then if they looked at the child's grades they would realize that there was a slim chance of the girl not becoming a ninja.
The teams were all practically set, the only thing left was to fill the members and rotate it around so they would actually match. Tracking team, poison and medic specialists, front line team, support team, etc. It all depended on the graduating class. One thing that stayed consistent was the balanced team consisting of the rookie of the year, the best kunoichi and the dead last.
A knock on the door caused everyone, including Hiruzen, to straighten.
"Come in." The Hokage ordered placing his pipe down.
The door went open. A woman in her late twenties with long, curly, black hair entered. She wore a simple pink kimono with mesh armour underneath and a pair of baggy red pants with flip-flop-like sandals worn with socks and a pair of oval glasses. She was an instructor at the academy and taught young girls the art of being a proper kunoichi. Her name was Suzume. This year, she was appointed to hand in the results.
She gave a polite nod to her comrades before walking forward towards Hiruzen. "The results, Hokage-sama." She murmured handing him the files. "It's in the right order like always. From the highest ranking to the lowest ranking."
Hiruzen nodded and opened the file. Sakura's bashful smile greeted him.
Suzume fixed her glasses, a proud smile on her features. "Sakura Haruno." As soon as that name left Suzume's mouth, the whispers had begun again. "She now holds the record for being the first female rookie of the year in our history. Her skills are all well-rounded, with her intellect being her strongest point."
"Is it wise?" One of the jounin spoke up. "Should she have even got the chance to graduate early? It never ends well."
Suzume fixed the person with a stern look. "Sakura Haruno is not Itachi. Nor is she Orochimaru. Nor is she any other missing-nin from Konoha. She is one of my best students and I will not stand anyone comparing her with those traitors."
The room went silent as Suzume took in a deep breath. "The first time I laid my eyes on her, she was a crybaby and was scared of her own shadow. It wasn't until Ino Yamanaka befriended her that she started gaining more confidence, but even then she was still in another person's shadow. But then, in what seems like a blink of the eye, she was suddenly standing in the light with this determination in her eyes. She's ready."
Hiruzen took in the woman's words before nodding. "Very well." He said turning the page to the next student.
"Hana Inuzuka. Her skills lay mainly in her tracking ability, but she has an aptitude for medical jutsu. Her combat skills are good for her age and impressive considering she coordinates herself with three ninken at the same time." Her voice held the same pride it did when she spoke of Sakura.
0_0
Sakura pursed her lips in annoyance as she sat across the theraphist her mother had spoken to behind her back. Yes, Sakura was still very sour about her mother asking Inoichi for help.
"Inoichi's always been the persistent type," Sakumo started neutrally. "He does it in a subtle way. Expert at how the mind and emotions work, but then again that is his job. The trick is to know he can't force you to answer."
"Your mother says you tend to stare off at space. Is it true?" Inoichi offered her his attention with a polite smile.
Sakura gave an indifferent shrug.
"This is going to be more difficult if you don't answer." Inoichi sighed.
Sakura merely shrugged again, as if to say that it's not her problem.
"According to your files, you had an imaginary friend?"
'Ain't I famous?' Inner sarcastically mumbled.
0_0
Sakura fiddled with her new Konoha headband.
It felt weird having it around her neck, yet it drew an odd sense of pride from her. She was an official ninja now, no longer training in order to become one. Now, she'd be able to get her own place if she wanted to. And judging by how much problem her ghost seeing ability is getting her into, she was really considering this option. The only thing holding her back were her parents.
Despite how annoyed she was at them, they were still her mom and dad.
"Sakura?"
Sakura jumped in surprise before turning around to face her mother. She had an embarrassed flush despite the annoyed look she was giving her mother. "Ever heard of knocking?"
"...you're a ninja now?" Her mother softly asked with a conflicted look.
Sakura's annoyed look faded away as she offered her mother a nod. "I got this today after class." She mumbled brushing her finger across the headband. "I'm now a gennin of Konohagakure." The words felt so foreign to the pink haired girl, yet she liked the way it rolled off her tongue.
Her. A ninja.
"Congratulations."
The thought of getting a new place seemed more appealing as her mother gave her the saddest smile she's ever seen before Mebuki quietly left her daughter's room, mumbling about preparing a feast as a little celebration.
"Sakura~! I'm back!"
Sakura resisted the urge to frown in confusion as Shisui strolled in her room with a grin. Instead, she walked over to her closet in order to start sharpening her kunai. Honestly, she missed being able to talk to Shisui and the others whenever she wanted to.
"Congratulations on graduating." Shisui offered her a thumbs up.
Despite herself, Sakura smiled. Her first smile since becoming a ninja.
"And guess what? No more Anbu!"
Surprised emerald eyes met onyx eyes.
"..really?"
Shisui grinned.
Sakura dropped her kunai before throwing her arms around Shisui. "Finally!"
"No more Anbu just means you have to watch out for your sensei along with the other higher ranking ninja." Sakumo casually said entering Sakura's room. He wasn't sure if the two in front of him even heard what he said.
"Mou, you shouldn't ruin their fun Sakumo-san." Rin chided her teammate's father with a teasing smile. "They deserve some happy time considering how complicated things have been lately." She said turning her attention back to the chattering duo.
Despite the sigh that escaped Sakumo's lips, he was smiling at the scene.
'They're both smiling again.'
0_0
Sakura sighed at the dead fish in front of her.
Rin offered Sakura an assuring smile. "It took me ten tries to get it right, so don't sweat about it."
"This is like my twentieth time..." Sakura muttered, her shoulders slumping. "What's the trick?" She shot Rin a curious look.
Rin hummed in thought. "Concentration and control is the key to doing a good job, just like tree climbing. Too little chakra means no healing. Too much causes a disturbance between your chakra and the chakra of the person being healed."
Sakura didn't say anything.
"Why not try again?" Rin suggested.
Sakura grabbed her scalpel and sliced another fish. "Concentration." She mumbled to herself adding chakra to her hand, she willed the blue hue to turn into green, also known as medical chakra by amateurs. "Control." She placed her hand over the fish. "Just enough." She made sure it wasn't too little or too much. "Just...like tree climbing!" She smiled as the wound closed.
Rin clapped her hands.
"Thank you so much Rin-sensei." Sakura politely bowed to Rin.
Rin's eyes widened in surprise. "Sensei?" She repeated.
Sakura flushed, realizing her mistake. "Uh...I, s-sorry. It's just you kinda give off those teacher vibes, if that makes sense? You remind me of Suzume-sensei, except you're way kinder." Sakura rambled not noticing the growing smile on Rin's face.
"Rin-sensei, huh? I like the sound of that." She clapped her hands together. "Alright! From now on, call me Rin-sensei."
Before Sakura could answer the door went open. "Oh, Sakura. I didn't expect to see you today." Kabuto offered her a smile as he walked in.
Sakura offered her sempai a greeting smile while ignoring the ghost behind him. "Eh?"
"I expected you to be celebrating with your friends." He said motioning at her headband.
"Oh, well...uh, they don't know yet." Sakura admitted averting her eyes.
"Be sure to tell them when you get the chance."
Sakura nodded. "I will." Silently, she was dreading it.
Choji was the only one who probably wouldn't make a fuss about it, aside from asking her why she didn't say she wanted to graduate early. Ino would probably feel betrayed that she didn't tell her. Naruto and Kiba might get competitive or resentful that she graduated first. And Shikamaru...he was the one she was more afraid of telling. He was the only one smart enough to figure out that there's a reason behind her wanting to graduate earlier than them. He was smart, too smart even.
"Be careful, child."
Sakura's eyes glanced at the ghost that always seemed to follow her superior around. The ghost was giving her a slightly concerned look. "He was listening in on your conversation."
"Sakura? Are you okay? You seem a little pale..."
"I'm fine." Sakura assured with a strained smile.
0_0
"Hana Inuzuka, Idate Morino and Sakura Haruno will be Team Four under the guidance of Aoi Rokusho." Suzume announced fixing her glasses. She was about to continue listing the teams, but Idate Morino stood up with an annoyed look.
"Why do I have to be on a team with dog girl?" He asked pointing at Hana. "She'll only drag me down."
Hana sent the boy an annoyed look as her dogs growled at him. "Hmph, I don't want to hear that from the dead last."
Suzume sighed, she had expected this.
"Ano, sensei?" Another girl raised her hand. "Who is Sakura?"
"Sakura Haruno," Suzume began as the class grew quiet, curious about the mysterious graduate. "Is a student from Iruka's class and this year's rookie of the year."
"Eh?!" The class cried out in surprise.
Meanwhile, Hana had a contemplative look. "Sakura, huh? I've heard that name before..."
CHAPTER END!
Author's Note: Well, this time I have an excuse for not updating. I'm in Holland, on vacation, without my laptop. Which means I have to borrow my cousin's, who rarely isn't on the damned laptop.
Anyways. Short chapter, yeah. But a lot of foreshadowing.
Questions:
1. Favorite Uchiha and why?
2. If you could choose any Kage to be your teacher, who would you pick and why?
My answers:
1. Shisui. In my opinion, he's very underrated despite how badass he is. I mean bruhh, his Genjutsu is outright stated to beat Itachi's Tsukuyomi.
2. Tobirama. He invented the Edo tensei for crying out loud!