Chapter 17: Welcome Home, Truth Hurts
Sakura and Ino signed in at the gates and headed towards the Hokage Tower to submit their final reports. Both young women were eager to return to their second home at Genma and Hayate's apartment, having not seen their brothers in over a month. They missed the time spent bonding with them, and they hoped Yugao would be back from her latest Anbu mission—a term they used at home for her operations in the wilds, aware they weren't technically meant to know the details.
As they walked, their team caught up with them, and Ibiki approached, clearly wanting to hear about the mission's outcome. Sakura simply nodded in greeting, feeling Ino tugging her towards the steps. She laughed a little, noticing the amusement flickering across Ibiki's face.
Upon reaching the Hokage's office, they knocked on the door and were welcomed inside. "Ah, welcome back, Ino-chan and Sakura-chan!" Hiruzen greeted them with a warm smile, his eyes sparkling with pride. He gestured towards Ibiki, who leaned casually against a wall behind the reporting teams.
"Report, Asuma," the Hokage requested, his expression glowing as he listened to the additional efforts made to solidify the treaty. He turned to Kakashi, who detailed their encounters with Zabuza, the Demon Brothers, and Haku, the unknown apprentice. Kakashi recounted the battle at the bridge, noting with a sly smile the bridge's new name.
"Tazuna and his people were so grateful they named it 'The Great Blossoms Bridge' to honor Ino and Sakura for their hard work in protecting his family and aiding his village. The girls got teary-eyed and everything!" Kakashi added, relishing the lack of surprise from the Hokage regarding the girls' combat abilities.
Sakura and Ino exchanged smiles, their eyes gleaming with a shared mischievous intent, while Kakashi shuddered, as if sensing an impending plot.
Hiruzen nodded, "I suppose when I go with the next party to finalize the treaty, you both will accompany me." His gaze reflected pride and respect for the detailed accounts of the events that had restored faith in the village.
Ino and Sakura bowed, replying, "We would be honored to attend, Hokage-sama, but we couldn't have accomplished this without our teammates."
The Hokage chuckled at their synchronized response, thinking, In your past life, Ino helped you grow. Now, you've returned the favor a hundred-fold. Be proud, Sakura; very proud.
Hiruzen wrapped up the first part of the meeting. "All students from both teams will receive payment equivalent to two A-rank missions for their service to the village. Sakura, please stay behind for your final report on your separate mission." Ino paused, looking back at the Hokage, who reassured her, "She'll be right behind you, Ino-chan."
Ino smiled and exited, joining her teammates downstairs. "So, who's up for lunch when Sakura gets out? If we're lucky, Hayate and Genma will join us. Maybe even Yugao-chan."
"Sure, we'll join you! Is Sakura with Hokage-sama?" a familiar voice chimed in. Ino promptly glomped the woman, who laughed, "Hello, Ino-chan! We've missed you girls so much."
Once the barrier seals were activated, Sakura relaxed her demeanor. "Hello, Hokage-sama. The mission to recruit Zabuza as an ally went exactly as planned. He accepted the information and his living comrades in exchange for his future cooperation."
"Well done, Sakura-chan. What will our next move be?" Hiruzen inquired, raising an eyebrow. He gestured to Ibiki. "He will assist you with information gathering and maintain your secrecy. No one else but he and your allies need to know."
Sakura turned and demanded, "You will swear an oath of silence regarding these matters, sharing them only with Hiruzen, myself, or you, without my explicit consent?"
Ibiki chuckled darkly and nodded in agreement, his eyes gleaming with respect for the young girl he admired. Sakura then stated, "I need to consider the next steps for a moment. Please fill Ibiki in, and I will provide a proper answer shortly, Hokage-sama."
As the two men began discussing the forthcoming events, Sakura contemplated the looming challenge of Orochimaru's appearance during the Chunin Exams—his obsession with obtaining Sasuke's Sharingan, which would unfold in the years to come. Hiruzen would die if these events were left unchecked, and she contemplated bringing Tsunade into the fold.
She had already regained her Byakugo seal, hidden beneath a simple genjutsu that she had chosen to remove. The men in the room stared at the seal with amazement.
"Byakugo no In?" Hiruzen whispered reverently. "You've already regained the seal?"
Ibiki moved forward, prodding the seal lightly, earning a sharp look of annoyance from Sakura.
"Yes. It took me three years the first time. This time, thanks to my current circumstances, I regained it the year before I graduated from the academy. I had to wait for my network to stabilize the basic chakra walls before I could attempt any storage methods. Meditating twice daily expedited the process, whereas before, my work in the hospital split my focus."
"Keep it visible, Haruno. We can use this to lure Tsunade back to the village sooner," Ibiki asserted, and she nodded in agreement.
"Orochimaru will invade the Leaf with the intent to kill you and obtain Sasuke's Sharingan during the Chunin Exams. We need to plan carefully. You'll call me when you need me?" Sakura asked as she moved toward the door.
"Of course, Sakura. Please collect your two A-rank and one S-rank payments from the mission counter. They will be waiting for you," Hiruzen instructed, and Sakura exited the room, a smile on her face as she headed to the mission office to collect her pay.
She waited until both sensei and teams had received their payments before she approached the counter. The admin's eyes widened at the rank pay she earned. "Here you go, Ha-Haruno-san."
Sakura smiled gently. "Thank you, Admin-san. I appreciate your help." Her envelope was only slightly thicker, so her teammates and peers didn't notice, but Asuma and Kakashi exchanged pleased, surprised glances.
Kakashi led the teams out first, and Asuma congratulated her, "Two A-rank and an S-rank for your first time out… nicely done, Sakura-chan. You've made us proud."
Sakura easily caught up with Asuma, sending him a thankful smile as they rejoined their friends. The barbecue place welcomed them back, and they settled in. Sakura found herself between Yugao and Genma, while Ino monopolized Hayate's attention on the other side, making him pout as Genma snickered. Yugao smiled down at Sakura. "Welcome home, Petal-chan."
Sakura smiled and hugged her favorite kunoichi. "Thanks, Yugao-chan! I've missed you all, too." She yawned and leaned against Genma. "Genma-nii, please feed me; I'm too tired to grill anything today!"
Genma smiled down at her. "Steak and shrimp as usual?"
"Un!" Sakura replied happily, snuggling into his side. She relaxed as he gave her a side hug and agreed, "Thank you!"
As Genma's gaze fell upon her seal, he remarked, "Sakura-chan, I thought you were hiding it."
Sakura blinked sleepily. "Hokage-sama and Ibiki-san told me not to. So, I stopped hiding it. It's a significant achievement, and I'm proud to have it."
Genma nodded in understanding, kissing her forehead right on the seal. "It's something to be proud of, little sister. Let me know if anyone gives you trouble about it, okay? I'll take care of it."
Sakura, worn out from the journey, soon fell asleep. Genma laid her head on his lap while cooking, and Ino laughed with everyone, arguing over the best foods. Asuma sat across the table, smiling at the sibling-like bond that Genma and Sakura shared, unaware of how they appeared to outsiders.
Hayate grinned at his lover over Ino's head. Yugao tilted her head toward the sleeping pinkette, and Hayate peeked to see her resting on Genma's lap, reminiscent of when she was a child, exhausted from training. He smiled as he resumed cooking, making sure Ino didn't burn hers.
Unbeknownst to the group, a grass ninja watched from the shadows, staring at the pinkette's forehead with surprise and curiosity. Such a young child with that seal? She's not a Senju… who is this child? He noted to inform his team to keep an eye on her during their stay before dismissing the thought and shifting his focus to the young Uchiha. Soon, Sasuke-kun, soon you and your Sharingan will be mine.
Sakura slept peacefully, shivering in her dreams as a familiar presence washed over her. He's already here… I shouldn't be surprised. He learned his lesson in my time, but he hasn't figured it out yet here. I wonder if he's gained any useful knowledge. Her dreams grew more tranquil once his presence faded from her awareness.
Sakura stirred as a gentle shake pulled her from sleep, her green eyes blinking up at Genma's smiling face. He helped her sit up and handed her a bowl of food, nudging her to eat. Still groggy, she mechanically took bites, ignoring the teasing laughter of her teammates. Yugao smoothed out her hair, earning a grateful smile from Sakura.
"Your nap seems to want to pull you back in, Sakura-chan. Have you heard the news?" Yugao asked playfully, and Sakura jolted awake, curiosity piqued.
"What news?" she asked, glancing at her sensei, who looked a bit sheepish.
"Well, Sakura-chan, you've been nominated for the exams alongside the other rookie genin," Asuma announced excitedly.
Sakura narrowed her gaze. "I'm not competing. I've only been a genin for six months. Most stay genin for a year to fine-tune their skills and teamwork. It's too soon." Turning back to her food, she muttered, "Stupid exams, too troublesome," eliciting more laughter from her teammates.
Shikamaru shot her a dry look. "Stop stealing my words. Women are troublesome." Sakura's laughter sparkled in her emerald eyes.
"But it's true! It's too troublesome to take an exam when we aren't ready as a team," she said earnestly.
Chouji pondered for a moment. "You did so well on the mission, though. Surely, you're ready?"
Sakura sighed, her expression serious. "I might be, but can you honestly say you feel prepared?" She locked eyes with Chouji before glancing at Shikamaru, who looked thoughtful. "Even if one of us is ready, if the team isn't, the exam will be a disaster for all of us. What would it hurt to wait six months and be patient for the next exam? It'll come around eventually, and we need to be sure we're ready. Plus, we need to resupply. Aren't the exams divided into three parts to test our readiness for missions?"
Asuma coaxed, "What if I told you the other rookie teams are counting on you three, Sakura?"
Sakura's expression remained unimpressed as she replied flatly, "Then we should have been working harder and given more notice. I refuse to jeopardize my team by charging in blind, Asuma-sensei. If they're counting on us, how long have they known about this? Why are we just finding out?"
Shikamaru's expression sharpened as he turned to Asuma. "She has a point, Sensei. How long has this plan been in motion, and why are we just hearing about it?"
Ino chimed in, her excitement bubbling over. "Come on, Sakura! We just found out! Just think—if we pass, we'll be promoted to Chunin, which means better missions and better pay!"
Sakura scoffed, "Or a pre-me gets promoted and ends up like a pig going to the slaughterhouse."
Ino winced at that. "It's not that bad! We did great on our last mission!"
Hayate interjected, "Ino, you do realize Sakura is looking out for you, right?"
Ino turned to him, curious. "What's your opinion, Hayate-nii?"
Hayate sighed and explained, "The Chunin Exams test your capabilities for the future. Remember, multiple villages send their hopefuls to participate. Sakura's worried because you haven't been genin long, and much of your competition will come from skilled foreign ninja you've never encountered before."
Sakura added, "We don't know enough about the potential competition, and besides, our beads and Sasuke… Do any of the genin even know elemental transformation yet?"
"Do shadow clones count?" Naruto asked, grinning.
Sakura sighed, exasperated. "Naruto, you can't just spam your way through every fight. Those thugs were civilians; it was easy because they had no ninja training. Our competition will be older, more experienced ninja with jutsu and skills we've never seen. People who go into these exams unprepared can die, Naruto. It's not a game."
"What a drag! Should we do some intel gathering before deciding?" Shikamaru suggested.
Sakura huffed, annoyance creeping into her voice. "Do what you want. I'm more concerned about you five and the others than I am about myself." She sighed, knowing she would inevitably get caught up in this somehow.
This generation of ninja, despite their intelligence, were like dogs with a bone—once they set their sights on a goal, nothing could deter them. She pouted as her teammates left, leaving only Genma, Yugao, and both senseis behind.
"This really bothers you, doesn't it, Sakura-chan?" Yugao asked gently.
"If there was a strict rule against killing competitors, I'd feel more secure," Sakura replied. "But during at least one part of the exam, it's free game. I just don't want anyone to die because they aren't ready." She took a breath. "Since the senseis put us in this mess, I have to deal with the fallout. I hope none of the rookies die in the exams. Many are clan heirs, and it would cause serious repercussions."
Sakura stood, leaving money for her meal before exiting the restaurant, leaving her awestruck senseis behind. Genma watched his little sister walk away, a weight of concern settling over him. He understood her perspective and worried about the change he'd witnessed in her.
"Kakashi, what happened on that mission?" Genma asked, eyes fixed on the door through which she had just exited.
"Sakura, Naruto, and Shikamaru all took their first kills during the mission," Kakashi said firmly. "We're keeping an eye on them. They'll get through it."
Deep down, however, Kakashi felt a leaden weight of concern. Sakura had shown herself to be a true leader; her worry for her comrades overshadowed any fear she had for herself. If it came down to it, she would choose to protect them every time, regardless of the cost.
Back at the Hokage Tower
Sakura stormed into the office where Ibiki and Hiruzen were deep in discussion, her face set in displeasure. "You allowed this? Really, Sarutobi?!"
Hiruzen sighed, while Ibiki muttered, "Busted…" Both men turned to face the determined woman, soon to be 27 in the coming spring.
"Now, Sakura-chan, I know this isn't how you'd like it," Hiruzen began, trying to soothe her frayed nerves.
"What about Orochimaru targeting Sasuke don't you understand?" Sakura retorted, her voice steady but filled with concern. "We agreed that none of the rookies would participate in the Chunin Exams without a year of experience as genin. Why did you deviate?!"
Hiruzen's brow furrowed. "Sakura, it happened before, and you all survived, right?"
"Survived, yes! But at what cost? Lee was crippled by Gaara, Sasuke was bitten and cursed by Orochimaru, and then he left the Leaf obsessed with false power and revenge!" Sakura hissed, anger rising in her chest. "I didn't come back from my peaceful rest among the dead just for you to sabotage everything with a mistake like this!"
"Calm down, Sakura-chan… I know this deviates from the plan, but perhaps it's for the best. You've faced challenges before, and you know what's coming," Hashirama's reassuring voice echoed in her mind.
"I'm not on Sasuke's team! I can't protect them from Orochimaru if I'm not with them! What about the survival round? Did you even consider that?" Sakura's pain and torment from the past flashed before her eyes, Hashirama sending waves of comfort to shield her from the intensity of her emotions.
Ibiki, concerned for her well-being, quickly knocked her unconscious. "Hokage-sama, could we have miscalculated?" he asked, casting a serious look between Sakura and Hiruzen. "If we make a mistake and it triggers the worst-case scenario… she might leave us."
Hiruzen sighed heavily. "That's the point, Ibiki. When I face Orochimaru, I will die, and when Tsunade takes my place, she will never trust a child powerful enough to achieve that seal without her guidance. Her independence…" He turned to the window, contemplating. "Her freedom will lead her to the results she aims to achieve. If she is tied to any one village, she will never reach her goals or forge the alliances she needs to succeed. We've given her space to plan and grow, but we cannot ground her forever."
