I am on a roll:D

Enjoy it while it lasts – usually I'm much slower. Thank you all very much for your comments, I loved to read them! For everyone who's interested: I have a deviantart account where I uploaded a (crude) oekaki of Hisana the way she looks in Part I (taking place up until her own graduation). I'm no artist but I think it gets the most important points across. I'm actually also workin on a pic of what she's wearing, because I don't really make a habit of including it in the story if it's not important. The link is on my profile page.

The peace between Naruto and Sasuke is a fragile balance, disturbed by the most ridiculous things. Naruto took the last tomato. Sasuke was faster in his katas. Naruto called him a teme. Sasuke called him a dobe. It's stupid and it's childish, but there's none of the underlying affection that's supposed to be there and it worries her.

Help comes from a completely unexpected source.

"Iruka-sensei? You wanted to see me?"

"Ah yes, Hisana-chan. Come in, come in. I don't have as much time as I'd like for this but it'll have to do."

She wonders for a second if she should close the door behind herself, but then again, this is a ninja academy – if someone wants to eavesdrop badly enough, they'll do it through the closed door. She stands before his desk, hands folded behind her back and at attention, the way Ito-sensei has taught them.

"Relax, Hisana-chan. You're not in trouble."

He looks a little amused, but mostly worried.

"I heard you have Naruto-kun under your wing."

It doesn't sound reproving, so she merely nods.

"That's…that's good. Did you know that he's improved considerably in taijutsu class?" Naruto is still, quite frankly, abysmal, so no, she didn't known. She must have been too slow to squash down her surprise, because Iruka-sensei chuckles.

"His Burning Leaf is still an abomination, but he's been utilizing something else now. In my time I've worked with enough Uchiha to recognize their taijutsu style. So tell me Hisana-chan, not that I'm not glad, but why your clan style?"

She shifts uncomfortably.

"Well, as you said, his Burning Leaf is a disaster. I don't think it's because he doesn't train enough. He just can't handle switching between different styles. When he keeps forgetting to switch from swift turns to hard blocks and then he tries to block with noodle arms. So I abandoned the academy style, because he needed results fast. And the Uchiha style is the only other one I know well enough to actually teach him. Otherwise I'd have to learn one myself first."

Admitting this kind of stings. She hasn't been here for long, but she has become quite attached to her prodigy status, and admitting that she can't do something ... It painfully reminds her of too many math tutors calling her an idiot. But Iruka-sensei nods happily, as if it's not failure as much as it's simply a great idea.

"Good thinking, yes. As an instructor I'm not allowed to teach him more or differently than my other students, but someone else teaching him a specialized style is perfectly acceptable. But I've noticed that Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun seem to have struck up a rivalry. Now, normally I wouldn't say anything, because a little healthy competition is good for them. But I don't think they like each other at all."

Again, Hisana shifts.

"Sasuke is very attached to me. He doesn't like having to share me, so he's been a bit abrasive with Naruto. And Naruto is nobody to take that lying down."

Iruka-sensei snorts.

"Quite. They are both very different personalities. They need something to balance each other out."

Something to balance each other out. Damn. They need Sakura.

In hindsight it's so painfully obvious, she wants to kick herself. They need Sakura. What was she thinking? This could have upset the dynamics of the team completely. What if Naruto and Sasuke had hit it off immediately? They'd have Sakura trailing behind them like a puppy, confused and useless and not part of the team. Good for keeping Sasuke in Konoha, not good for their overall survival rates. As they were now, both boys were volatile components thrown together in cocktail shaker. Put the lid on, shake – instant explosion. With Sakura there Naruto would have something else to focus on beside Sasuke's pregnancy mood swings. And now that she had told Sakura on no uncertain terms to get stronger before even thinking about Sasuke again, her little cousin might get a bit of peace and quiet every now and then while the rest of his team squabbles.

"Teams usually consist of two shinobi and one kunoichi to ensure a more cooperative atmosphere," Iruka-sensei says, as if reading her thoughts. "It's of course a gamble to put together such a provisional team, when we might have to break them up after graduation. Though it may be worth a try."

She nods, a little more enthusiastically than proper for an Uchiha.

"I suggest though, that you have a look at more taijutsu scrolls in the library. I'll make a quick list for you with styles that you might find useful. I trust this won't interfere with your own studies?"

"No, sensei!"

He nods.

"Then good luck with finding yourself a kunoichi."

It's true that, should she push Naruto-baka enough to graduate with average scores, she might break up team 7 before it even comes together. If they work out the way she intends them to, she'd talk to them. They'd just have to fake their scores.

But where the hell is Sakura? She hasn't seen the girl for weeks now. Asking Ino would be an exercise in futility. The girl is still obsessed with Sasuke and would probably offer herself in Sakura's place. She'd never be rid of that girl then. They must also have already broken up their friendship, Hisana muses, or Sakura wouldn't have pursued Sasuke that emphatically. So where to find her? Stupid, she's in Sasuke and Naruto-baka's class. She'd have to send one of them for her. But whom?

Sasuke would surely refuse. It's Haruno Sakura, Hisa-nee. She can't even throw a proper punch. What's with the strays you've been collecting?

And any message Naruto delivers wouldn't be received well, if at all. Oh my god, go away! You're stupid and my mother said not to talk to you!

Kids, honestly. That evening she lugs a bag full of scrolls home. Iruka-sensei's list was far more extensive than she'd thought, but with so many possibilities she's bound to find something. Because apart from the obvious advantages of mastering different taijutsu styles, she'd be damned if she taught Sakura the Uchiha style. Not after lecturing her about being undeserving.

"Sasuke," she calls into the kitchen, "what's your last class tomorrow?"

"Bukijutsu. Why? Are you picking me up?"

He's trying so hard not to sound so eager, it's adorable.

"Yes of course. But I also need to talk to one of your classmates."

She doesn't need to see his face to feel his mood turn sour a room away. She puts the scrolls away and walks over to him. His face is mostly blank, but there's a curl to his mouth that screams 'brat'. God, having a little brother is such a lot of work. A bit awkwardly she hugs him. He doesn't hug her back, just stands there, with his bowl of soup still in hand, stiff as a board. After a while he tries to extract himself from her, but she squeezes a little harder. The following struggle spills soup all over the floor and her pants, but she manages to wrestle him into something resembling a headlock, and he submits with a long suffering sigh.

"That's right, let Nee-chan love you like a good boy," she taunts amusedly. She frog-marches him into the living room and then sits him down on the couch. His head is still secured under her arm and he looks sulky, but something heavy seems to have lifted from his eyes.

"Alright. So Iruka-sensei said since I'm already dragging Naruto-baka's behind through the academy, why not make a team of it. I need a kunoichi and I already have one in mind. But I'm not going to teach her the Uchiha style, because the last thing we need right now is for some girl to prance around thinking you're going to marry her because of that."

Sasuke actually turns a little green at the prospect.

"Who do you want to ask?"

She looks at him for a moment.

"Haruno Sakura."

As expected Sasuke rolls his eyes, but he doesn't say anything. No snarky comment? She opens her mouth to ask, but then thinks better of it.

"I'll talk to her tomorrow and then we'll go eat something, ok? I'm all out of ideas what to cook."

He snorts.

"Yakitori?"

"Yeah."

Hisana's promise of some alone time with her has put Sasuke in a good mood. The next morning he doesn't complain when Naruto bursts out of some bushes to greet her and on the way to the academy he only calls him 'dobe' once. He is a difficult child, she thinks. Needy and insecure, even though he does his best to fake self assurance and independence. Raising him would be a chore and a half, but she's gotten equally attached now, so she'll manage. Needy yes, but also cute and protective in his own way. She pretends she doesn't see him glaring at everyone who stares at her a little too long.

There have already been several offers to adopt one or both of them. Sasuke has made it very clear though, that he doesn't intend to go anywhere without her, which puts in turn the pressure on Hisana. She doesn't think it was intentional, and he seems to have realized his mistake as soon as he spoke the words, but the damage is already done. She gets a lot of free stuff now, but also people constantly badgering her.

Uchiha-chan, why don't you have some tea with me and my husband? I made fresh mochi just yesterday.

Uchiha-san, I would be honored to introduce you to my grandson.

Hisana-chan, why don't you and Sasuke-kun live with us? Then you don't have to be so alone anymore.

Uchiha-chan, it would be such a waste not to cultivate your talent. My wife is a former Academy instructor, we could give you all the support you need.

The one that made her blow a gasket though was Uchiha-chan, a prodigy like you needs to dedicate all their time to training. Why don't we take Sasuke-kun off your hands, you can visit him as often as you like.

- Lady, I handle my clan affairs as I see fit. I'd thank you to mind your own business.

She lets him think it's his glares that keep them at bay. He doesn't need to know she lost it at a nosy old bat and scared the crap out of half a dozen minor clans.

With a wave and a nod respectively the boys stay on the training grounds, while Hisana turns right towards her class room. The bell would ring in fifteen minutes and she wants to talk to Ito-sensei before class. The taijutsu scrolls weight down her bag, but it is comforting rather than annoying. She has a plan now. Not a very precise one, but a plan nonetheless.

"Ito-sensei?"

"Come in."

In contrast to Iruka-sensei's homey mess of paperwork, Ito-sensei's desk is strictly organized and neat. A stack of homework papers sits graded and tacked the left, a stack of unfinished work alphabetically ordered on the right.

"Hisana-chan, can I help you?"

"You might have heard how I've been helping Uzumaki Naruto with his taijutsu."

"Yes, indeed. A very remarkable extracurricular activity."

She pushes her glasses up, and peers at Hisana with calculating eyes.

"I have noticed no drop in your grades, if that is what you are worried about."

"No, no. I already talked to Iruka-sensei … Umino-sensei, excuse me. He thinks it would be a good idea to include a girl in the training sessions, to get the genin team dynamics right. He's worried because Sasuke has somehow taken Naruto's rivalry with him a little too seriously." Ito-sensei nods again.

"I see. But you know that, as a teacher, I'm not allowed to help you in this."

"Yes, that's what Umino-sensei said. I wanted to ask if you know somebody who could help us."

"Oh?"

Training Sasuke and Naruto is all good and well. But she's not even a genin. If she could get some chunin to supervise, they could interfere if – when – she messes up. She essentially needs a fail-safe authority figure to keep things under control.

"You could have asked Umino-sensei as well," the woman points out. It doesn't sound angry, but rather, curious. Oh. Because you actually look more like someone who could know the right people. Because Iruka-sensei is Iruka-sensei.

"Ah, because a supervisor would probably work with me more closely than with the others. And you know me better than Umino-sensei does."

She nods again.

"Yes, I actually have several people already in mind. I will make enquiries and get back to you once I have something definite."

She finds Sakura the next day by accident.

"Princess, you look…" – crappy – "…thin."

Sakura actually seems proud.

"Yes! I've been keeping my promise. Thank you for the wakeup call, senpai – now I'm actually slimmer than Ino-pig!"

There is a pregnant pause.

"Did you ever do that health class with Suzume-sensei?"

"Yes of course!" Sakura's cheeks puff out in indignation. "I'm the top kunoichi of our year, I work really hard."

"Did you even hear a single word of what she said?"

"What?"

"You're too thin."

The girl looks at her as if she's gone crazy.

"Nonsense. My mother said I'm in really good shape! I eat regular, healthy and balanced meals, just like Suzume-sensei said."

"And how much of it?"

She wants Sakura in this team, but the way she looks right now, a stiff breeze would bowl her over. Did she do this? Did she make the girl sick, just because she told her to train more? Sakura blushes to the roots of her hair.

"A good amount! Half of what Ino-pig eats. My mother said if you want to diet properly, you only eat half the normal portions."

Good god, this girl is seven years old. Why the hell is her mother talking about diets?

She'd have to force feed the girl. Maybe Sasuke could talk her into it?

"Ok, princess, I have a proposition."

The girl's face is still burning, but she looks eager.

"I need a kunoichi for a practice team. I want you, Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto-baka."

At her words Sakura's face first brightens and then visibly falls.

"Naruto?"

"Yes. That's not negotiable. Take it or leave it. I can give you until tomorrow to decide, then I'll have to look for a different girl. I'm sure your friend Yamanaka wouldn't mind."

"No, NO! I'll do it!"

Of course she would.