"I leave you alone for a couple months and you've already made the clan go to hell in a handbasket, huh otouto?"
Sasuke's head snapped up to meet the shit-eating grin Shisui was sending him.
After being gone from the village on a long mission, Shisui had hoped that just like every other time he was away for more than a month, the village would be just as unchanged as always. But, this time, he had been met with whispers of his younger cousin's dishonorable actions. If there was anyone he would bet on disrespecting a Sannin, it was honestly Sasuke. He loved his baby cousin dearly, but he knew the boy had a large mouth and an even bigger ego. Seemed like he was finally being brought down to a more reasonable level.
"It's all unfair!" Sasuke hissed up at him.
Leaning on the tree's trunk he was standing in, Shisui simply nodded along. Life would always be unfair.
"Pissing off a Sannin is one thing, Sasu-chan, but a Haruno? Now, that's just plain stupid."
"What does that even mean?" Sasuke wrinkled his nose in the most adorable way, or at least that's what Shisui thought. Everyone accused him of seeing his cousins in the best light, but he reasoned he saw them just they way they were. Even if both Itachi and Sasuke went red in the cheeks when he cooed over their cuteness.
Jumping down, Shisui landed in front of Sasuke and frowned at the clearly missing headband. So, the rumors were true. In just under a week, Sasuke would be going back to the Academy and be forced to earn his status of genin back. Meeting angry, dark eyes, Shisui sighed. He had already reported to the Hokage about the procession of merchants on their way to Konoha, but he needed to warn his own clansmen as well.
"Sasuke, what do you know about the Haruno?" Shisui let his normal smile drop as he met the younger boy's eyes seriously.
"Nothing? It's just her last name." Sasuke spat. Eyebrows raising, Shisui made a mental note to check in with Itachi on exactly what happened during Orochimaru's tests. What did Sasuke do to cause him to hate the young Haruno so much?
"They're a very large merchant clan," he explained.
"So? They're just civilians."
"Not just civilians, Sasu-chan," Shisui sighed. "They're the largest merchant clan in all the Great Nations. They have their sticky, little fingers in every deal going on in every market, no matter how big or small the village is."
"What does this have to do with anything?"
"Oh, Sasu-chan, Fugaku-ji-san will need to teach you clan politics sooner rather than later. Or else you'll end up pissing off even more people." Shisui shook his head dramatically. He might have been acting lightheartedly around his younger cousin, but in reality, things were going to be getting quite difficult for the clan and he knew the elders were going to have a heart attack. "The Haruno clan isn't very big here in Konoha, but after your match with the youngest one, the clan head is on her way here. Probably coming through the gate as we speak."
"An old, stuffy clan head is coming, so what?" Sasuke asked flatly.
"That old, stuffy clan head is the only one allowing us to keep our trade going in the capital," Shisui informed him, voice cheerful even with the dreadful news. "If Haruno Reiko decides she wants retribution for you attacking her great-granddaughter, then she might just ban us from the capital."
Finally, the alarm began to form over Sasuke's face.
"But, if we're banned…"
"We won't be able to make any money. And with no money, we'll be screwed!" Shisui smiled brightly. Now, he wouldn't describe himself as sadistic, but he was enjoying the way Sasuke's face paled, and his eyes grew large. At least he understood exactly what was happening all because of his actions. Letting his smile drop to be more sympathetic, he patted Sasuke on the shoulder. "Look at it this way, otouto. You're just an Academy student now, so there's a chance Haruno won't even bother with what you did."
The glare he received was dipped in red.
Leaving his little cousin to throw kunai at an already punctured training post, Shisui flashed towards where he felt Fugaku's chakra signature. Time to inform the elders and his uncle of Haruno Reiko's arrival.
Sakura willed her hands to stop shaking as she walked in between her parents. She was wearing an extravagant kimono—not as elegant as the one Orochimaru had gotten her—and her geta sandals clicked against the path's cobblestones resoundingly. Each step sounded like a death knell as they made their way closer and closer to Konoha's main gates.
A messenger had arrived a few hours ago to inform them of Reiko's arrival, and Sakura hadn't been able to shove away the nervousness that was threatening to bubble up into her throat, almost choking her with how thick it was. She wished her parents had told her long in advance that their clan head, and her great-grandmother, would be coming to Konoha.
To Sakura's knowledge, Reiko had never stepped a foot into Konohagakure. Even for her birth, Sakura's parents had brought her to Reiko so she could meet the newest Haruno. Of course, Sakura couldn't remember that time and didn't know how she felt that she would be meeting the legend that was Haruno Reiko.
"Cheer up, blossom!" Her father bumped her shoulder slightly, sending her a sympathetic smile. "Reiko-sama might be terrifying, but she really does love the clan."
"Just don't call her terrifying to her face, and you'll be just fine," her mother agreed. But, Sakura noticed the flat look she sent her father. Raising an eyebrow, Sakura looked at him, too.
"I was a little tipsy at our wedding," he chuckled weakly, rubbing the back of his head.
"He passed out before we could even get back to our bedroom," her mother stage whispered to her.
"Not my fault your brother insisted bringing that wine from Kiri!" He pouted.
"You're the one who drank half a barrel."
"You could have stopped me!"
Giggling at her parents' light banter, Sakura felt the shaking in her hands settle. Straightening her back, Sakura kept her head held high as they made their way through the village. Yes, meeting her great-grandmother would be nerve wracking, but she was the apprentice to one of the Legendary Sannin and a strong kunoichi. She had faced down enemies that had wanted to kill her—she could handle her clan head who only wanted to talk to her.
Feeling Yua moving from her collar to her hair, Sakura knew she wasn't alone. She would make it through this unscathed.
However, when they arrived at the gates, her eyes went wide.
Standing around the gate were people from every major and minor clan in Konoha. She spotted only a few clan heads, the rest being lower ranking members, and she swore she saw the Haruno circle within the crowd. Her mother had informed her that some of her aunts were visiting as well, but not this many people!
She could see many different kinds of Haruno weaving through the crowd—their hair ranged from orange to black to silver to gold, ever color she could think of. However, the one unifying feature were the green eyes. Only those who married into the clan didn't have the unique emerald green color, but the Haruno clan symbol was mark enough of who they belonged to. Glancing at her father, she was secretly glad that she and he were the only pink-haired Haruno so far.
"Mebuki! There you are!"
One of her mother's many sisters rushed over to them, embracing her mother tightly before giving her and her father the same treatment. When she had been younger, Sakura had often confused her mother and her aunts—they all had the same-colored hair and the same jaw line, and her little mind hadn't been able to distinguish them all at once.
"Akira-nee-chan! It's so good to see you again!"
Smiling at her aunt, Sakura let her eyes scan over the older woman. Her once beautiful, blonde hair was now greying as she was the oldest of her mother's sisters. However, that didn't take away from her bright smile, which seemed to grow each time Sakura saw her. Just like the rest of the family, Akira moved around with her family to sell exotic goods, but she was far more nomadic than Sakura's parents.
The two sisters talked as Sakura scanned the crowd and frowned when she noticed a few jonin standing back from the crowd, simply watching them. Must be from the Hokage and for extra protection then. It wasn't every day that so many different clans got together without a fight being scheduled before hand. No need for an impromptu one to happen, after all.
Growing bored, Sakura mentally went through the Reverse Summoning Technique. She had the whole thing memorized ten times over, but she knew that it was better to be prepared than not, especially when she would be preforming the technique alone. The only issue was finding time to do so, what with Kakashi suspiciously always a step behind her, and her own snake babysitters literally wrapped around her at any given moment.
Going over plan after plan, Sakura jerked when she heard a collective gasp leave the crowd. Looking up, she had to squint as people started to pour over the horizon and come towards them.
It looked like just any other traveling caravan she had witnessed in her life, the only difference being the large, elegant palanquin that was situated right in the middle and being protected by half a dozen guards. Swallowing hard, Sakura could feel the tremors return to her body, no matter how tightly she clenched her muscles.
This was it.
Haruno Reiko had arrived.
Peeking through the curtains of the palanquin, Reiko didn't stop the razor-sharp smile that spread across her face. Oh, how she loved making an entrance. She couldn't spot the Hokage hat amongst the crowd, but the very bright, pink hair in the crowd left her satisfied.
Even though she made sure to meet every single member of her clan, she did not know her great-granddaughter all that well. She had heard from messages from Mebuki and Kizashi about their only child, but with so many grand and great-grandchildren, Reiko hadn't had time to truly create a concrete image of the girl in her mind.
However, after being met by the little snake, Reiko had gathered everything on the girl. Good thing her clan was made of gossips.
Haruno Sakura was an extremely intelligent girl, but had been severely shy as a child that restricted her from making too many friends. She was obedient and listened to her parents, only ever defying them when she insisted on attending the Academy. Even that respect, she had put her all into her studies and had grown into herself. Reiko had been impressed with her great-granddaughter being able to keep up, and even surpass, many clan heirs.
She was a kunoichi in the making and Reiko couldn't be prouder.
With her apprenticeship with a legendary shinobi, her talents would only grow. Reiko wondered what the girl would become in the end, but if there was one thing she would make sure of, it would be that Sakura get the best education. She would not allow such talent to be wasted.
"Sasori."
"Yes, Reiko-sama?"
"When we arrive in the village, you will stay by my great-granddaughter's side. Do not leave her alone for a second, do you understand?"
"Yes, Reiko-sama."
The young man's voice didn't change in the least, nor did his bored expression. This was simply a job so he could receive the large sum of money she had offered. His past proceeded him, and she knew that it would take quite a bit to keep someone of his talents around. Letting the palanquin's curtain to fall close, Reiko waited for their procession to stop. Finally, the curtain was being pulled away and one of her grandsons was offering his hand to help her out.
Holding her head high, she smiled graciously at the crowd spread out in front of her. She didn't even glance at any of the shinobi surrounding the area as she stepped around strangers and clansmen alike. Her gaze didn't leave the anxious, bright-eyed girl staring at her with barely controlled fear. Stepping in front of Sakura, Reiko smiled down at her great-granddaughter.
"Sakura…"
"Esteemed grandmother." The girl bowed stiffly. The crowd around them fell silent as they watched the exchange. Smirking to herself, Reiko glanced up at the rooftops, spotting not only the Anbu watching them. "It is an honor to have you here."
"I am humbled to be here."
Younger met older green eyes as the two studied each other. Reiko didn't know what Sakura was thinking, but as she looked over the girl, she knew she would be greater than all of them combined. She would be there legacy.
"Come here, child," Reiko smiled. Quicker than anybody expected a ninety-year-old woman to move, she had her arms wrapped around Sakura. Her body was stiff, but relaxed as she wrapped her own arms around her. Leaning down, Reiko whispered. "You're going to do us proud."
Words so soft, the wind could have carried them away.
"Thank you."
Frowning, Jiraiya stared at the touching display that was happening down below. Closing his spyglass, he stood. The rooftops were feeling far too crowded for him. There were Anbu on every other roof, even one daring to perch only a few meters from him. Other lower ranking shinobi had joined them as well, but less subtly that he was sure the Haruno clan head had spotted them. But, from what Jiraiya had heard of her, she easily could have been a powerful kunoichi if she had wanted to be.
As things stood, she was a powerful clan head that was taking up a short residency within Konoha. Shaking his head, Jiraiya sent one last glance down at Orochimaru's newest kid; Sakura seemed to have calmed down after the hug, but Jiraiya had to wonder if there was more to it. What was Reiko planning?
Deciding this wasn't his war, he flickered away to report. First Minato, then Orochimaru. Both might be geniuses in their own right, but Jiraiya had a feeling only the latter of the two truly wanted to deal with Reiko.