Chapter 56. The Honorable Sakura…

"She used fire style?"

"Yes, a jutsu I've never even heard of. It caught me off guard and almost killed me."

"I refuse to believe the great Snake Sage would lose to a child."

"You weren't the one that almost got turned to ash." Orochimaru pouted as he thought back to the fight. "I really think she was trying to kill me. You said she was docile!"

He looked at me with a hint of betrayal. I too felt betrayed, ya know, how would you feel when you realize you don't even know yourself.

We made a plan with me playing the villain and her living as she was, knowing nothing. I should have known I wouldn't sit by and not get stupid strong so I could protect those close to me. That was the whole reason for the split. But something was off.

"She is docile, she wouldn't hit a wasp that stung her." I smiled reassuringly.

"Tell that to Gato and his men," Orochimaru fired back. "Their charred corpses would have lots to say. Shall I resurrect them?"

Okay, that, that I couldn't explain.

"She almost killed her own comrades in the fire, she's crazier than a drunk Tsunade." Orochimaru went on. "Even I wouldn't flood a building with poison if my teammates were in it.'' Why was this snake bastard making me out to be the villain? Sakura isn't a threat. Not really. Okay maybe her threat level could be raised a bit just to be safe.

"So those flaming swords were her doing," Temujin commented from his spot at the table. He was silent now that no one would kill me if he spoke, this guy. "It was quite the display of power, can you do that, Mother?"

"I'm a water and earth user with a little bit of Yin. I don't have the time or patience to learn to control fire. Besides I have the Uchiha, what more fire could I need?" That being said, why did Sakura have a change in chakra nature? In the land of waves she was in a favorable position with the water and earth around, why use fire? I felt uneasy the longer that question remained unanswered.

It could be that she learned a thing or two from Itachi, but still, she had no reason to use it in this place.

"... It could be the fact that she is an Uchiha."

I turned to Orochimaru with wide eyes.

"Say again?"

"Her eyes were red with the Sharingan as we fought, so I assumed she was the bastard child of an Uchiha."

"She's not," it sounded defensive even to my ears and a little in denial. "It could be that she implanted the Sharingan as Kakashi had or that it was a genjutsu." Now I was just making up excuses. Orochimaru gave me a side glance and dropped it.

"Perhaps." He said dismissively as though he was no longer interested in the matter. I wasn't sure I believed him. I already promised him immortality if he behaved but I didn't suspect he would hold back for long.

Damn it, Sakura, why can't you live a normal life and not get the attention of Sanin that isn't Tsunade.

I unsealed the Osake bottle and downed it from the jar. I really didn't have time to worry about the little flower among the leaves. All I could do was trust that she would be fine since she was a part of me.

"How are the searches for the Jinchuriki coming along?" I asked, moving on from my inner turmoil.

"The jinchurikis of the stone have already been located," Kimimaro reported, having sat silently through our discussion. "They live on the outskirts of the village, it shouldn't be hard to retrieve them unnoticed."

I nodded.

"The jinchurikis of the mist have been located. Though the three tails is under Tobi's control." Karin spoke, adjusting her glasses. "The six tails jinchuriki is much too laid back, capturing him won't be a problem."

"The problem lies with the land of lightning," Miroku spoke softly. "Even as they are not treated well, they are loyal to their village. While the cat can be captured easily enough with the help of the Uzumaki, the eight tails is constantly at the Raikage's side. Death is the only end there." her eyes glowed with power. She saw our deaths, huh. I really thought we could take Bee but the Raikage would lose his shit. I chuckled.

"The seven tails is already ostracized by her village, only their leader bothers to try and manipulate her," Kabuto reported. Even without Orochimaru's influence, he was still crazy. But I try to have him attend therapy. Of course, the therapist was Mikoto. "If you show her even a hint of affection, she'll cling to you."

I cringed, she wasn't that bad, was she?

"The jinchuriki of the Sand is a bit.." Sasori said, rolling his brown eyes to find the right word. The puppet master was currently in his humanoid form for the meeting. He was an interesting addition, but I couldn't turn away an Uzumaki, no matter how annoying it is to listen to him complain about art, or how entertaining it is to watch him fight Orochimaru. "Crazy." he settled on the word.

"I think emotionally damaged is a better word for it," I offered. "Not many people can go through what he did and come out the other side okay." Well if my first father tried to kill me I would take my time torturing him but I was built different. If he tried to kill me as a child I would be just as broken as Gaara. Minus the walking nuke which was a shame.

"Do you intend to collect the Nine tails as well?" Nagato, using the body of "Pein" asked. I smiled at the puppet of an Uzumaki.

"We actually won't need him right away, and besides there are so many people with the nine tails chakra~."

"Oh? Does that mean you intend to resurrect Ginkaku and Kinkaku?" Orochimaru had a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"It would be a waste not to use such a legendary ninja don't you think?" I purred, sharing his excitement. "But they aren't the only ones with the nine tails chakra." I smiled pleasantly. "I need a team to head to the land of the fire's temple. There's a boy there with the nine tails chakra in his body."

"Another Jinchuriki?" Temujin asked, confusion on his features.

"He's no more a Jinchuriki than Ginkaku and Kinkaku," I explained. "He just has what we need."

"How long do you intend to protect that boy," Sasori called me out. I kunai whizzed past his face cracking his cheek

"Oh my!" I feigned surprise. "My hand slipped." The room was quiet and I rose from my seat. And the others followed. They were all sent on a mission to gather information on the Jinnchurikis though I didn't really need it, I couldn't make excuses for all my knowledge. Better to make it authentic. That and there were some things that I didn't know, like what was up with Sakura these days. I frowned as I walked out of the room, Temujin and Orochimaru behind me.

"Make sure to have the stones of Gelel ready for our meeting with the Jinchurikis," I said to those following. "We don't have long until the Chunin exam, and we all know torment arcs are just the most fun."

I grinned.

"To interrupt that is."

"Ahchoo!"

I rubbed my suddenly itchy nose.

"Someone is talking smack about me," I muttered.

"When isn't your name being tarnished?"

I looked back to see Ino walking into the room. I hadn't seen her since the incident in the forest where she passed out. It was strange that she approached me first, I was convinced she was well and truly scared of me.

"Ah Amaterasu emerges from her cave, to grace the world with her light once me,'' I smiled at her, in a way I usually reserved for Naruto. Ino stopped in her tracks and glared at me? Huh?

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" she asked, her voice low and dark.

"Yes?"

I barely dodged the kunai that flew past my ear.

Ino jumped me, pinning me to the ground with another kunai in hand. She held the blade to my throat, her eyes wild.

"Who are you and what have you done to Sakura!?" Ino demanded. I see… she's gone mad.

"Everyone calm down," I spoke softly. "No one needs to get hurt." I looked past Ino and to the swarm of deadly Springflys putting their sharp wings at her. The nekonins weren't much better, their claws out and ready for battle. I was surrounded by psychopaths.

"Come now, Ino pig," I reached up to her head as I spoke. "I'm allowed to give you compliments from time to time." I grabbed her hair and jerked her off me. She fell on her back and I smoothly mounted her. "Unless you want me to tell you how that kimono you wore did well to cover up your chubby belly last spring fest." I kept my smile firmly in place. "You didn't look like you belonged in the Akimichi clan but you could pass for their bastard child; if they were that kind of people. Though they wouldn't accept you very well since you can't cook worth a damn."

"Alright, I get it! You're the real Sakura!" she cried out, covering her red face. "You're the worst, you know that." I twirled her hair around my finger in thought. I might as well have some mercy.

"Sorry I almost burned you to death, I really was trying to save you," I muttered not looking at her. She picked from behind her hands at me. "I was panicking since I didn't have any chakra and couldn't move when you were taken. I let my anger at my own helplessness get the better of me." I looked back at her light blue eyes with a hit of embarrassment. "Though you guys would be fine~ I had faith you guys would make it out if I provided a distraction."

"You call that a distraction!?" she yelled at me. She probably would have strangled me if I wasn't sitting on her chest. "Our cell almost collapsed on us!"

"Ah! Sorry."

"That's all you have to say!"

"I didn't expect the building to burn so well," I returned to avoiding eye contact.

"The entire building was made of wood!"
"That explains a lot."

"Die!"

She panted, trying to catch her breath after her outburst. She waited for her to calm down.

"Get off me you're heavy," she said from behind her arms. I reached down to my legs where my gravity seals were and reversed them, making my body lighter. Ino looked at me in disbelief.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just get off me?" she asked.

"Probably," was my only reply.

"I'm gonna kill you one day," she gritted out a vein pulsing in her forehead.

"See, it's talks like that, why we never had a sleepover," I fired back.

"Ask if!" My dad said no every time I bring up a sleepover with you!"

"Huh? What's his deal?"

"That's what I wanna ask you!?" she dropped her hands in exasperation. "What the hell did you do to him?"

"Your father is the one that violated me, not the other way around."

"Do you have to say it like that!?" she sat up then throwing my lighter body back.

"I mean I would say he invaded my mind and molested my brains, but it wasn't nearly as funny," I responded from my place on the floor.

"You're the worst."

There was a moment of silence where she just sat there and I stared at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry,'' I said in the silence.

"Huh?"

"I didn't mean to scare you, I wasn't consecrate of your feelings and you witnessed something horrible.'' I covered my eyes with my arm. "Sorry.'

She sighed and shifted closer. I felt her hand on my head as she brushed her fingers through my hair.

"It's fine." she breathed. "We're shinobi, I should expect to see things like that in the future. I'm sorry I fainted, even though you're trying to save us, I didn't make your rescue easier." she piled away my arm and I looked away from her, my vision was blurry anyway. "Next time," she said, turning my face towards her. "Next time, you won't have to save me."

Water ran down into my ear as she held me still, I really wanted to scope it up before it went inside. Ino rested her forehead against mine and wiped away the wetness from my eyes and surprisingly my ear as well. Ah, so she is useful after all.

"Your hair is so tangled," Ino's change of topic threw me for a loop. "Shall I brush it?" I huffed at the poor change in the subject but I would allow it. I got up and turned my back to her while unsealing and throwing a comb to her.

What I keep combs on my person always, you never know when you'll need it.

"It's gotten longer," Ino commented as he combed my hair. "It wasn't this long when you got here." I remained silent.

Mid mack to waist in a matter of days or in my case, seconds, was nothing to overlook. I surmised that it had something to do with Madara or the merging of our chakra.

"Stress," I said finally. "If you find any grey hair pull it out for me?"

Ino was quiet for a moment before pulling on a strand of hair. It didn't come out.

"Sure, pull out hair that's indestructible," she muttered and I looked over my shoulder with a grin.

"I knew you were gonna do something stupid," she smiled smugly before stopping the chakra flow to my hair, returning it to the sold vulnerable strands. I heard her sigh as the comb went through my hair again.

"You're impossible."

I acted as though I didn't hear her.

"Do you have to leave so soon? Aren't you still injured?" Tsunami asked worry, warping her features. How a woman who saw what I did can still worry about me I'll never know.

"Not to worry," Kakashi, my loyal guard dog, spoke in my place. "Our wounds have already been healed, and with the compilation of the bridge and removal of Gato, we have no reason to stay." he smiled his signature eye smile as he said this.

"We thank you for your hospitality and hope peace returns to the land some," Asuma bowed to them, making her flustered.

"Gato was the reason we suffered, to begin with," Tazuna said. "With him gone the country should return to prosperity."

"That's good to hear," Asuma smiled.

The little shit… his name was Inari, right? Peeked out from behind his mother's shirt. I glanced at him and he returned to his hiding place. I decided to ignore him, I think I've traumatized him enough.

"Don't worry everything will work out!" Naruto proclaimed, folding his hand behind his head. He had a knowing grin on his face. It was a wonder he didn't tell them what we did. Giving the Daimyo his stolen possessions was the least we could do. Mostly because we couldn't use it anyway. He promised to pay us for the return once they were back on their feet so there was that. I smiled at the villagers seeing us off. After partying for a whole week they didn't seem like peasants anymore. Must were flush with alcohol but the majority looked healthy and most importantly, happy. They looked so pitiful before. I was genuinely happy to see them like this.

With a final goodbye, we made our way out of the country via the newly constructed bridge.

"Well this was fun," Ino commented as she stretched. "I don't feel like I did much but i', glad everything worked out."

"You're right," I smiled at her. "You were useless."

"Huh!?"

"If you weren't here it would be no different, ya know."

"That's it!" She rushed me. "I'm gonna kill you."

"Sakura-chan!" we paused at the cry, looking back at the civilians.

The little shi- Inari stood before them, his hand around his mouth.

"Thank you for protecting my family!" he called out with all his might. I flinched.

"Well, would you look at that," Asuma said pleased.

"I thought I was gonna watch us leave without saying anything," Sasuke commented.

"And here I thought he didn't have manners," Ino joined the discussion. I felt an unfamiliar feeling in my chest. My body shook as my chest tightened. I wasn't sure why but I wanted to run to him and hug him. Maybe it was because he reminded me of Naruto. I sighed giving up the fight and body flicked over to him.

Naturally, he flinched as I appeared in front of him suddenly but I knelt before he could react, pulling him into a hug.

"You're welcome." Whispered to him, as I held him. I could feel my fellow shinobi gawking at me. "Grow up big and strong, okay. And don't cause trouble for your mother and gramps." he sniffed and nodded. I pulled back looking into his tearful eyes. "I know it's hard but remember to smile, okay. Your mom loves it when you smile, ya know. It reminds her of the good old days." his body shook as he nodded. I patted his head. "You're a good kid, don't be needlessly unpleasant." I waited for his nod again before standing. I smiled at him once more before turning to walk back to my team.

"I'll-"

I looked back down at him. His eyes were filled with determination. "I'll do my best to protect them with my own hands!" he declared loudly. The odd feeling came back and I smiled, character development was really a beautiful thing.

"Shall I show you something beautiful?"

Before he could answer I sent my chakra into the water. The still sea came alive taking the form of a large whale, and leaping out of the water before slashing down again. Inari and his people watched in awe as the splashed water rose and transformed into small fishes said fish-shaped water swam through the air and onto the bridge where they scattered into cherry blossoms. The wind picked up courtesy of Naruto and they spread out beautifully.

I took out a small rope as everyone watched the spectacle and infused a seal upon it. It was a simple shield that would protect him from a B-rank ninjutsu. Hopefully, he runs away if he sees something like that. There was also a protection against physical attacks or falling beams.

This is all I will do for you, kid.

After attaching the rope to his head I kissed his forehead to activate the seal before turning my back to him.

Inari watched the pink hair ninja walkway shower of cherry blossoms. These pink petals were different from the ones she used to kill those bad men, but they were just as beautiful. He was thankful to her, even though she hated him, she still protected him. After his mother fainted she carried them both to the village paying the ink keeper a ridiculous amount to take care of them. He woke up there and heard what she did, before rushing out of the inn. By the time he ran to the bridge to warn his grandpa, he found Sakura unmoving in the mask guy's arms. He heard them say she was out of chakra and remembered that was the reason she wasn't moving that morning.

Even though she couldn't move she still fought to protect them. He didn't fight the tears that ran down his face as he watched her walk away. At that moment he saw his father's strong shoulders that always protected him. It was his turn to protect his family.

"Thank you, Father," he said for the first time. He never did thank his father, instead, blaming him for his own death. He felt a hand on his shoulder, looking up to see his mother. Her smile was gentle as always. He hugged her legs.

"I think we should probably come up with a name for the bridge." his grandpa said. "How about the great Tazuna bridge."

"Rejected," his mom said sharply.

"But why, I built it!" Tazuna whined.

"The honorable Sakura bridge," Inari muttered to himself. His mother heard him and looked down in surprise. She smiled as he blushed, patting his head.

"Honorable Sakura, huh?" she asked.

"Hmmm?" Tazuna thought. "She's bound to become someone great in the future isn't she?" he looked down at Inari. "But why Honorable and not Great?"

"Aren't heroes honorable?" he said into his mother's legs. Tazuna smiled and knelt to his height.

"That's right," he said, brushing his huge hand through Inar's hair. "They are Honorable aren't they."

"It's decided then," his mother cheered. "The Honorable Sakura Bridge!"

Inari looked out at the shinobi that regrouped. They turned to them and waved before turning their backs and walking away. Just then, they disappeared in a swirl of cherry blossoms.

"So cool."

Sakura showing her soft side, so cute~

Next chapter

April 26.

Until next time

Night Song~