Shikamaru cursed loudly, taking a step back in shock. Instantly, his face morphed from surprise to analytical, running through every situation that could have resulted this phenomenon.
Sakura on the other hand didn't know what she had expected. Sure, she'd seen the Hokage mountain with Naruto's face on it. But seeing him now in the midst of piled up paperwork (that seemed to have existed since Tsunade's time), made it more real.
His yellow hair was shorter, more neat. His face more defined and mature than in his teenage years. Bags under his eyes told her that he hadn't gone home to rest in a while. But his eyes. They were the same bright blue. (Not to mention he was still wearing orange.)
"Sakura-chan." It was a whisper and could barely be heard. There was so much hope in her name that it made her hands tingle.
It brought her back. Blood. Too much blood. Tears. Last words. Essentially dying in Naruto's arms.
She clenched her fists before the inevitable shaking occurred.
There was no doubt that she had died. He watched the life fade from her eyes. And yet, here she was. Breathing, alive. Still dressed in the same uniform she had died in. Her chakra. He hadn't sensed it in a long time. It felt chaotic and disturbed as it mimicked her emotions (as it always did). But it was so her. Alive.
The only thing stopping him from throwing her into a huge hug was the look in Shikamaru's eyes. They had been buddies for long enough that they knew what each other meant without words. Clearly, he believed it was some Zetsu clone, here to trick them. Or some other enemy justu.
"I don't sense anything off." came the low rumble voice deep inside him. "I don't sense any jutsu or chakra being used.
"I don't either." Naruto confirmed. Sage mode turned on. "It's really her."
"Hmph," the voice pouted with contempt, "don't get your hopes up too much, kid. It's unlikely it's truly her. Keep your guard up."
"But her body was never found," Naruto countered, "We'd just assumed it had been decimated with all the tailed beast bombs that had occurred afterward."
"Time travel, really? Out of all the stupid ideas, this one's-"
"The worst." Naruto finished for him, "It's possible though."
"Fine, ask your questions. If she attacks, then don't say I didn't warn you."
The Seventh looked both at Shikamaru and Konohamaru and reclined back in his chair. Silently telling them that he didn't sense anything off.
The Hokage turned his attention back to the pink-haired ninja, releasing sage mode in the process. "Sakura-chan," he began slowly, " I want to ask you some personal questions to make sure you're really you."
Another test? Well, she'd come this far. Must as well humor this fake Naruto (at least she hoped it was a Genjutsu Naruto because the other option she couldn't cope with). None of them seemed hostile or ready to attack her and she had already ruled out enemies disguised as friends. A whole Konoha was not something so easily copied. "Fine."
Naruto looked at Shikamaru. If anyone was good at these kinds of tests, it was him.
The Nara nodded back and with steely determination (contrary to the lazy attitude she knew him as) he proceeded the informal questioning.
"What is your name?"
And it was going to be long one.
(By this time Konohamaru excused himself out.)
The floor board creaked under her weight. She internally cringed. Even as a Genin level ninja, she knew she would have been alerted to the sound. Her daughter was no exception, even if she was a deep sleeper. She missed those days she could sneak up on her girl and spook her up.
Now it seemed like she barely saw her. Especially now with the Fourth Great Ninja War beginning. Her daughter had grown into a flourishing young lady in a blink of an eye.
She was forever thankful to Tsunade who had helped her daughter grow in ways the she, a chunin reject, could have never provided. But while she was proud of her daughter, she couldn't help but worry about the dangers she would face on the battlefield. And that was why she was sneaking up stairs to her daughter's bedroom in the middle of the night just 2 hours before her pink-haired girl would be deployed.
She knew her daughter would be wide awake by now. So forgetting all stealth. She finished walking up the stairs and knocked on Sakura's closed door.
It opened almost immediately to a confused, tired but alert teenager.
"Mom? What's wrong?"
Everything she had planned to say went out the window. Mebuki suddenly felt stupid. "I...I...uhhhhhh...sorry, did I wake you? I think a knocked on the wrong door."
Her daughter's eyes narrowed, "You knocked on the wrong door?" she stressed, "Okay, Mom. You're acting weird."
Without replying, she just tackled her daughter into a hug.
"Whoa! Mom-"
"Be safe okay? Promise you'll come back!" Tears started flowing from her face as her fears flooded out.
She could feel Sakura's body stiffen in response.
"Mom..."
"Promise me!"
Now Sakura was crying as well, "You know I can't do that. This war. This war is to save all of us. It's my chance to repay Naruto for all that he's done. To protect him just once. If I di-"
"No! Don't say that..."
"I love you, Mom."
And that's where Mebuki stood almost sixteen years later. The last time she would have a conversation with her daughter. Her room remained untouched as a sort of memorial. They didn't live here anymore. Too many painful memories. With the war compensation money that Konoha had provided, they had moved to an civilian part of town, far away from everything that would remind the Haruno family of their deceased daughter.
But they couldn't sell the house for some reason. So here she stood, remembering.
Her daughter had gotten the hero's funeral. The Fifth Hokage, the Fifth Kazekage, and the Hero of the Shinobi, spoke in honor of Sakura. Shinobi that she had healed came from all the hidden villages to show their respect.
But that didn't matter now. None of it mattered. She had to bury her only child because of one vile man who couldn't move on.
But, she had died protecting someone she had loved. She died for a purpose, for a good cause. She died so that her friends could live on.
Mebuki couldn't have been any prouder.
"Auntie!" A voice called from down the stairs.
"Ahhh, Ino-chan..." Mebuki used her cane to help herself turn around towards the voice. "How'd you find me?"
"Auntie, you shouldn't go disappearing like that, Uncle's worried," Ino started climbing up, "Also, you shouldn't climb up these stairs; they aren't good for your back."
Mebuki smiled at her daughter's old childhood friend "Sorry, sorry. Today's one of those days."
A flash of sadness reflected in the young women's blue eyes as she recollected her best friend. She sighed, "I understand. I miss her too." They stood in silence for a moment both reliving memories.
Pulling back to the present, the younger blonde haired women smiled, "Anyway, come on! Uncle's waiting with my mom at that new restaurant I promised to take you guys."
"You're too good to us, Ino-chan. Taking care of us, and watching out for us along with Hina-chan."
Ino's smile faded slightly, "It's what she would have wanted."