Sakura and just turned 8 and Shibi decided that it was time for his two children to understand that Death came with being a shinobi and so he pulled them out of classes for the next two weeks "Shino, Sakura we are going on a trip" he tells them when Sakura squeals excitedly patting her head Shibi smiles grimly hoping that this didn't ruin the girl and destroy her innocence Sakura really was like a fragile little flower and Shibi really didn't want her to not be her bubbly and excitable self but he regardless he knew it had to happen.
"Where are we going Father" Shino who had been oddly silent until that moment chose that moment to ask when his sister's excitement fades "We are going to visit your uncle Akuyaku Aburame" Shibi announces the name causes Shino to grasp Sakura's hand and pull her close obviously his son knew exactly what was going to happen as he had explained this to Shino a long time ago in order to prepare him for when Shibi decided it was time the only person who didn't know what was about to happen was Sakura sighing Shibi leads the children silently.
"Dad what's going on" persecptive as usual Sakura had picked on the two males body language it was telling her that something was about to happen and that she really wouldn't like it "Be quiet now Sakura" Shino shushes her clenching her hand tightly this causes Sakura to look at Shino fear clear in her emerald green eyes an hour later the three arrive on the outskirts of the village and Shibi knocks on the door to his dead wife's brothers home a few minutes later the door opens and a voice beckons them into the house tensing Shibi enters.
"Akuyaku you know what I have come for" Shibi's voice is loud in the silence and then a man appears wearing the standard Aburame Clan clothes "Of course Shibi how could I not" Akuyaku grins at the two children standing next to Shibi "Wait two I thought you only had Shino-kun" Akuyaku turns accusing angry brown eyes on Shibi "Sakura is as much an Aburame as Shino is, she may not be mine by blood but she is still my daughter" Shibi snaps out causing the older man to take a step back as the kikiachu within Shibi start hissing.
"Ok I understand" Akuyaku raises his hands defensively and the noise dies down at Shibi reigns in his anger "So you want both of them to go through the test then" Akuyaku asks when it was quiet in his little home again "Yes" Shibi answers immediately "I'll return them to you in two weeks then" Akuyaku takes the two 8 year olds by the hands and then disappears before Shibi's eyes alone now Shibi drops gracelessly in a chair it was going to be a long two weeks, Shibi would spend every day of those two weeks worrying about them.
Meanwhile Akuyaku appeared further into the forest and dropped the two kids off "Survive" is what he told them before leaving them alone "Shino what's going on" Sakura asks shakily "It's a test Imouto-chan we have to survive two weeks out here on our own one of us may die" Shino answers solemnly "Oh" Sakura responds suddenly calm she had survived for years on her own and she could do it again "Come on Shino-kun we have to find shelter, food and water before nightfall" Sakura announces ticking the items off on her fingers as they walk through the forest.
'Saku-chan enhance your hearing with chakra I bet you'll hear something interesting' Inner's voice calls out but the girl doesn't appear doing as Inner had told her Sakura apply chakra to her ears and off to the left is the sound of rushing water "Let's go this way Shino" Sakura drags slightly older brother along behind her by the hand as they break through some tree's and their in a clearing is everything she had listed Sakura grins widely "Now all we have to do is gather some food and firewood" Sakura ticks off again looking around for said things.
"Sakura how do you know all this" Shino asks before she can rush off he had been expecting to have to comfort her and do all the work but no he just couldn't get a normal sibling that cried about normal things "Oh well you know how I lived before dad took me in right" Sakura grimaces the pain of her past clear in her expression "Oh" Shino's next words fizzle "I'll collect the firewood you catch some fish and gather some berries" Shino offers before rushing from the clearing not wanting to upset Sakura anymore than she clearly was.
A few hours later the fire was roaring and a few fish were being cooked on some sticks "Shino the fish are done" Sakura pipes up without looking up from her book "Sakura we are out here in the middle of no where and your studying I'll never understand the female brain" Shino rolls his eyes when Sakura sticks her tongue out at him "Well yeah Shino if we don't study then we'll be behind in classes and there is no way I'm letting Sasuke-san take my spot at the top of the class" Sakura answers smartly grabbing a fish.
Doing the same Shino takes a bite and nearly eats it whole "Sakura what did you put on this fish" he asks refraining from scarfing the fish down "Just some herbs I picked" Sakura responds flippantly while turning a page with one hand and taking a small bite from her fish with the other deciding that there was no harm in it Shino scoots over to sit next to Sakura and together they read their book taking down notes and finishing their dinner before climbing into the shelter and falling asleep for the night huddling close because of the cold.
While the two were out there during their survival test Shikamaru and Naruto were being bullied Naruto more so than Shikamaru "So Dope where's meiwaku at" Sasuke asks walking up to Naruto's desk at the back of the room "Stop calling Sakura-chan that" Naruto scowls at the Uchiha "Did meiwaku give up and drop out finally" Sasuke ignores Naruto's words and asks again "For your information Sasuke-teme, Sakura-chan and Shino have been pulled out of class by their dad for the next two weeks for a test" Naruto screams drawing other people's attention this included Ino who couldn't resist gossip.
"Are you sure that's were they are maybe forehead girl decided you weren't worth training anymore and stayed home with bug boy" Ino quips harshly oh yes she knew all about Naruto's training and she was jealous because Naruto had passed her in strength and abilities and knew more than she did all because of that pink-haired freak "Sakura-chan wouldn't do that" came from Naruto's right "Shikamaru now your defending forehead girl" Ino was angrier than ever "Sakura-chan this, Sakura-chan that she is all anybody can ever talk about" it was clear that Ino was about to throw a tantrum.
"WHAT ABOUT ME IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THAT PINK-HAIRED FREAK I'D BE AT THE TOP OF THE CLASS" Ino screams attracting the attention of Iruka who runs into the classroom with a disapproving expression "Ino-san head to the principles office" Irukia orders causing Ino to start sobbing but exit the classroom as Iruka had told her "Does anyone else have anything they want to say about Sakura-san" he asks a frown on his lips "No Iruka-sensei" the entire class calls back Sasuke wisely remaining quiet because he most certainly didn't want to get in trouble with his dad again.
As for the two siblings the two weeks almost pass relatively easily until it was on the last day that something truly terrible happened a boy a few years older than them appeared in the area they had been staying in chasing a woman holding a baby he killed the woman ruthlessly before slitting the childs throat Shino and Sakura masked their chakra and hid behind a genjutsu Keiko had taught Sakura when she realized that Sakura had an aptitude for them while waiting for the boy to leave so they could go check on the woman and the baby.
When they were certain the boy was gone they climbed out of their shelter right as Akuyaku came flying through the tree's seeing the scene before his eyes he looked to the two children to see what they would do it became apparent that Sakura was having to hold Shino back "Shino-kun it's to late there isn't anything we can do" Sakura cried lightly mourning the two while Shino struggled in her arms "Damn it Imouto-chan let me go" Shino curses softly before falling limp in Sakura's arms when it was clear he couldn't get loose instead choosing to glare.
"Sakura-chan is right Shino-kun there isn't anything that we can do for them now" Akuyaku had been looking for the woman and her child but had apparently gotten there to late Itachi Uchiha had slaughtered the entire clan and the 3rd hokage was afraid that Itachi would also go after the Uchiha outside the village Akuyaku was worried because the two Aburame children were out there in the forest and so he had hurried as fast as he could "Why would someone do that" Shino shouts angrily falling on the ground with a plop when Sakura decided to release him.
"Who knows maybe being the heir to his clan made him snap" Akuyaku chuckles nervously not revealing the real reason Itachi had killed his clan all except for Sasuke "Are you saying that we could turn out that way" Sakura's head snaps up rage in her eyes for even implying that she or even Shino could ever want to kill their family "No are you mad girl" Akuyaku glares before sighing when he realizes getting into a fight with the girl would just bring him down to her childish level instead he turns his attention onto Shino who looked defeated.
"Shino-kun that's what happens when you become a shinobi death happens and there is nothing you can do to prevent it" Akuyaku quotes hoping to make his point simply "I understand uncle can we go home now" Shino sighs tiredly sounding years older "Of course come on children" Akuyaku grabs the two and takes them home Shibi happy to see his children send them to bed early while dragging Akuyaku to his office to get the report when Akuyaku had left Shibi mulls over the information before deciding that there wasn't much he could except for love his children more.
The next day Shino and Sakura entered the classroom quietly both more quiet than usual as they head to their seats when Sakura sits down Naruto pulls her into a hug which Sakura happily returns before facing forward as Iruka begins class during lunch she cloud watches with Shikamaru and then after school she trains Naruto all with a pained smile on her lips Naruto was completely oblivious so when Sakura headed home for the night Naruto was so happy with his progress that he completely missed the tears that fell down Sakura's cheeks she was clearly upset about something.
Shikamaru knew however so he watched his friend closely over the next few weeks until he was sure whatever had upset her was no longer affecting Sakura when she started smiling more brightly and laughing again Shikamaru was relieved and thats when he knew that for whatever reason he liked the pink-haired girl that liked to cloud watch with him 'What a drag' Shikamaru chuckled in his thoughts 'Women are troublesome but Sakura is definitely worth the trouble' he thought again this time a smile on his lips as he watched Sakura interact with her friends slightly jealous of them.