The young sharkling stared at the fish before her unsure where to start.
"If you don't eat you won't grow big and strong." Her Papa said. Even so, Sarada had never eaten a fish before. The two were in Sasuke's home, he lived down deep in a cave where no one could bother him. It seemed quite lonely but on the plus side, they didn't have to worry about any unexpected intruders.
"It's staring at me…" The little mershark muttered poking it. Sasuke sighed and was about to give her his piece instead until the little sharkling disappeared and brought back a bunch of seaweed.
"But that's okay, I found this." She said placing it in a 'bowl.' Well that was what the humans referred it to Sakura had told him. "Does Mama make you this?"
"Yeah, it's my favourite." She grinned slurping away using her claws; unfortunately, seaweed wasn't enough for a growing sharkling.
"It'll get easier… as you get older your instincts will kick in and you won't hesitate but to go in for the kill." Sarada had stopped eating at that, so… she was just going to attack innocent creatures for no reason?
"Is this why everyone back home is afraid of me?" She may be young but wasn't stupid. It was obvious how different, bigger even Sarada was than merfolks. They didn't like her clearly but it never occurred to her that they could simply… be afraid.
She only had a few close friends but would never want to hurt them.
"We're predators Sarada, and they're the prey. That's how the world works." If she was going to survive as a sharkling, he had to toughen her up. Otherwise, she may as well live with Sakura and at this rate neither was a great option.
"But you never ate Mama, so you're a hipocrit, Papa."
This again.
"I think you mean a hypocrite."
"That's what I said, hipocrit," Sasuke smirked amused, for someone who talks a lot it was adorable how she pronounced certain words wrong. And he was still getting used to being called 'Papa.'
Papa, Papa, Papa.
It was like she wouldn't stop saying it, not that he could blame her.
"But Sarada won't eat fish, I will be a fish-free shark."
"You really think you can decide that."
"Yup!" Such confidence.
"Finish your food," was all he responded ruffling her hair, he'll let her be for now. Sarada pouted trying to sort out her small bang.
"Yo Sasuke! You in there?"
Suigetsu? Immediately Sasuke was on high alert, as was his daughter. Sasuke told her to remain quiet as he went out to get rid of his friend, only to find another two sharks waiting.
Did something happen?
"What is it? I'm busy."
"Yeah, yeah. You'd rather brood alone but this is urgent. Apparently, a mermaid was spotted near the area not too long ago." Ah, most likely Sakura. She should be back home by now though.
"And get this, Neji also met one. She was looking for some bracelet or something. I'm telling you Sasuke, they're taking advantage of us. They think we've gone… soft…" He wasn't like where this going.
"What's your point?"
"My point is, the next intruder who comes in should get a warning, regardless if they're friends with pinky or not. A bite, a scratch? We're sharks Sasuke, they are food! You can't keep expecting us to live like this!"
"I couldn't care less if you want to go ahead and kill a mermaid but leave Sakura and her friends alone. That was the deal."
At this little Sarada had peeked out to see what was going on. There were three other sharks with her Papa. A white-haired male with a white tail, his fangs were big and scary. A red-haired female with a black tail which Sarada found to be mesmerising. It wasn't every day she got to meet a fellow female shark and her Papa was right about them growing bigger. She was twice Mama's size, did that mean she would grow as big as well? And finally, an orange-haired male who was slightly bigger than the other two but not like her Papa, with a purple tail. Despite the size, he gave off a calming aura.
Sarada was both intrigued but also terrified. On one claw, she really wanted to meet them, as they were friends of Sasuke so surely they wouldn't eat her right? However, Papa had told her strictly to stay inside and warned her about the dangers.
"They're mocking us, they know we won't touch them so they keep coming back. They need to be taught a lesson."
"I think you're the one who's getting cocky. Would you like a reminder of what I did with your tail?"
"Sasuke..." Jugo could already feel the urge to kill coming from the Uchiha so got in between for the other shark's sake.
"I told you this was a bad idea," Karin muttered to Suigetsu.
"Papa you shouldn't be threading your friends." Sarada appeared beside him with a serious expression, once again mispronouncing her words. "Mama would not approve."
"I thought I told you to stay in the cave." Despite the deadliness in his voice and anger, Sarada wasn't bothered, as if she was already used to it. All three sharks turned to the little sharkling who seemed remarkably like Sasuke, except for as long as they knew him Sasuke had shown no other interest besides the mermaid.
"Who's she?" Suigetsu pointed to the sharkling confused.
"Hi! I'm Sarada." She was about to swim up and shake his claw but Sasuke pulled her back behind him.
"Sarada." He gave her a stern warning.
"Sasuke... don't tell me she's..." Karin gave Sasuke a look already knowing the answer.
"Shit Sasuke! Your family is going to kill her."
"Language Suigetsu!" Karin bonked him on the head and he rubbed the sore spot.
"Oh come on! You can't think this is okay? I mean seriously a mermaid and mershark? It's unnatural. You could have any shark in the world Sasuke and you chose her. Even pink hair isn't natural for a mermaid."
"Hey!" Sarada swam up to Suigetsu frowning. "Mama is really pretty!" There! That will teach him and swam back beside her Papa. All whilst the white shark remained quiet, trying to process if that was meant to be a comeback.
"She really taught you," Karin smirked enjoying the baffled look on Suigetsu's face and the sharkling's smugness.
"Oi, that wasn't… don't encourage her!"
"I would appreciate it if you didn't insult my daughter's mother."
"Daughter's mother? So you two aren't..." Suigetsu made a motion with his arms and Sasuke twitched resisting the urge to punch him.
Not in front of his daughter at least.
"I have no intention of starting such things with her again. You all keep your side of the bargain and I'll keep mine. You leave Sakura and her friends alone and I'll stay away from her."
Now Sarada was even more confused, didn't Papa say he would make it up to Mama or is he lying to protect her again? Gah, adults were so confusing.
"Right." Suigetsu didn't believe it. And neither did the other two, it was clear as day how he still harboured feelings towards the mermaid.
Did they understand such feelings? Nope, but he was their friend and they only wanted what was best for him.
"But is it really safe to keep her here Sasuke, your family... especially Madara? She wouldn't be safe, not mention Orochimaru."
"Karin's right, what if they find out about this Sakura?" Jugo asked, worried for the little one. She was too innocent for their world.
"For now, we're sharing custody, Sarada only has to be here for as long as Sakura allows me. And if they do find out they don't have to know she's Sakura's. As far as they're concerned she's from a random shark and by then Sarada will be a blood-thirsty-" he turned to look at his daughter only she was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, they found her behind him touching a small fish's nose with her claw.
"Boop! Now you boop me." The small fish then booped its nose with hers. All four sweatdropped at the scene.
"You are both screwed!" Suigetsu muttered, oh yes this plan was foolproof. Jugo was the first to snap out of it swimming and introducing himself to Sarada. The small fish didn't seem frightened either and happily swam around the two.
"Do you like fishes too Mr Jugo?" Sarada's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Uhh..." he wasn't sure how to respond without breaking her heart.
She knew it was too risky to swim all the way out here, but Tenten had successfully snuck out and needed to find out the truth. Whatever the Uchiha was hiding, she would get to the bottom of it, Sakura deserved some closure.
But how to find such a shark? The Hyuga didn't seem too happy when she was there last time, she could always pretend to lose her bracelet again if push comes to shove.
"Last time we met was here?" She swam looking around. "Or was it here… great now I got myself lost!" And she was talking to herself.
Another bonus.
"Looking for someone?" A voice startled her and she almost threw her shell weapon at him.
"Aaaah, don't startle me!"
"What do you want? I'd thought you would have learnt your lesson after last time." As polite as always.
"Neji Hyuga," Tenten stated as if she didn't hear what he said before. His eye twitched at such disrespect.
"I challenge you to a game."
"A game?" What a ridiculous request.
"Yes, if I win you have to answer all my questions. All of them!"
"And if I win?"And if he wins… uh she didn't think this through.
"What's in it for me?"
What was in it for him?
"Uh… I'll do whatever you want? Including something really embarrassing, anything." It's not like she would lose to him anyway. With what Tenten had in mind.
The mershark tsked before swimming away.
"Enough, I don't want to indulge and get involved with you." Go figure. Guess she'll have to hit him where it really hurts.
"So, you're afraid to lose?"
"You wish."
"Hey, that's totally fine. I mean I did beat up four sharks myself when I was in my teens so I can understand why-"
"Deal."
He wasn't going to let some mermaid push him about.
Wow, this has got to be the most I've done for an AU so far.
