Chapter 68. Sweeter than the sweetest wine.

The laughter of children and drunken adults filled the streets. Dressed in traditional kimonos they ran from stall to stall, buying goods and partaking in games. It was a festival in every sense of the word.

"Well this was unexpected," Kakashi muttered. "I expected a celebration, I didn't expect them to go all out."

"Do they really expect to keep this up for two weeks?" Yamato asked from behind his mask, which didn't look out of place here.

"They do it every time so they must have prepared properly," Kakashi defended the small town that housed us. The celebration in preparation for the Chunin exams was in full swing. Stalls lined the streets selling sweets and games, children had no hope of winning, under normal circumstances.

"Do it! Get them all."

"Win the top prize!"

We cheered as Sasuke, threw kunai after kunai popping the balloons that littered the back wall of the stall. The shopkeeper who no doubt rigged it to be unbeatable, started with blank eyes as the number of balloons decreased. Even with dull kunai and no chakra, Sasuke will always be amazing at blade techniques. Using only his training and strength he throws the last few kunai but poping only two, the last bouncing off.

"What the hell!" Naruto was outraged. "Sasuke you were doing so well, what the hell was that!?" The blond grabbed Sasuke's collar and began to shake him complaining about being anticlimactic.

Sora narrowed his eyes at the shopkeeper that whipped his brow and took down the second prize; a stuffed snake.

"N-nice going kid, but you need all the balloons to get the grand prize," he stuttered, handing the snake to sasuke. It looked more like a scarf than a snake. Sora pouted holding his slug. I looked up at the "Grand prize," which was a frog. Normally a snake, a snail and a frog wouldn't be things kids would want but they were the summons of the legendary sannin. Anyone who knows of them would want these normally slimy things. And Naruto wanted the frog.

"Sasuke, I trusted you," tears streamed down his face. He was being dramatic. He lost and only got a frog purse and now he wanted that pulse since Sora was able to get a slug. Sasuke wrapped the snake around his neck and glared.

"If you weren't so useless you would have the damn frog," he said, causing Nauro to droop in shame and depression.

"You're right, I should have practiced my kunai throw more," he muttered, drawing on the grown, from his crotch.

"Can I go next?" I ask to step forward. Unlike the boys I looked harmless, dressed in a red kimono with cherry blossoms on the bottom. I looked the part of someone going to a festival, which caused the man to sigh in relief.

"Gimme a sec to get this back up, '' he said.

"Okay," I cheered as he placed balloons back on the wall.

"You know Don't you?" Sora asked.

"I got this." I smirked. The last balloon wasn't what it appeared to be. While it was a balloon it wasn't empty like the rest but rather filled with water. Naruto had aimed for it early in the game and lost, while Sasuke had saved it for last.

I smiled with thanks as the shopkeeper gave me the kunais. There were ten kunais for ten balloons. If you didn't miss on you would get the grand prize. It seemed like a deal, until you started throwing.

I flipped the dull kunai in my hand, getting used to the weight. spinning the kunai by the ring I grabbed the hit and threw it at the balloon.

Pop!

"Oh!" the shopkeeper cheered. "Didn't expect you to be so good. It was a lie of course, the way I threw the kunai was amature at best, nothing like Sasuke's style and technique. It was just a test however, this was where the fun began!

I swan two kunai and threw them on after the other, hitting two more.

"Pop pop pop pop!"

The shopkeeper was starting to sweat. He glanced at one of the balloons showing me which was the faulty one. I threw two kunais that bounced off each other and hit the two balloons in a move that was internally Itachi.

"Oh wow, I can't believe that worked!" I cheered genuinely, mimicking Itachi's combat moves perfectly was always a plus.

"Last one!" Naruto cheered. "You got this Sakura-cha!"

I gripped the kunai tightly. It wasn't easy to pop a water balloon with a dull knife, but with enough force anything can pop.

"You're mine!" I yelled as I threw the dull knife. It spun counterclockwise at an incredible speed. The blade ran along the rubber surface twice before piercing it with a splash.

"You did it!" I was tangled by the blond as he clung to me crying and praising me. I patted his head returning the affection. He really was too cute.

"How?" the voice was trembling.

Looking over I saw the shopkeeper on the verge of tears. "How did you?"

"The kunais feel weird to handle but if you aim properly it's not that hard,' i said with a cheerful smile.

"But the balloon."

"Hmm? What about it? The last one is harder, sure but with the right aim you can't miss."

He looked like he wanted to say something but swallowed his words. A wise choice. If he said the balloon was harder to pop, he was out himself. I kindly gave him an out and didn't even expose him. He should be grateful for my mercy.

Reluctantly he walked over to the prize shelf and took down the frog.

"C- cpngragulations." His words had no life but I took the pulse gladly.

"Thank you uncle!" I took Naruto's hand. "Let's eat snakes next!" We walked away from the small as the shopkeeper sulked.

"That was cruel," Sasuke commented when we were far away.

"Serves him right for trying to trick us," Sora contered.

"I'm more surprised he didn't realize we were shinobi," I said, handing the oversized frog to Naruto. "Do commoners not know the capabilities of a shinobi?"

"They know Shinobis can do amazing things but they don't know how and it all just seems like mystic arts to them," Kakashi explained.

"But this close to the Chunin exams, aren't they expecting Genins to be floating down their streets?

Kakashi looked down at me, eyeing my cute kimono and then my neat hair bun held by a cherry blossomed themed hair stick that doubled as a weapon. The light make up on my face was guaranteed to bring out my eyes, the lipstick making me more feminine.

"I don't think you're what they think of when they hear 'Shinobi,'" he said.

"That's because I'm a kunoichi, we are supposed to stand out,'' I countered.

"Right you were the top of your class weren't you," he signed. "It's scary how good you are at this. Maybe I should sign you guys up for more infiltration missions."

"Aren't those too high a rank for us?" Sasuke asked.

"If you pass the Chunin exams there should be no problem," Yamato assured us.

"Even if you don't pass, I'm sure the Hokage wouldn't stop you from taking such missions," Kakashi shrugged.

"Sounds like fun!" I cheered. "We get to act like a traditional ninja!" Shinobis are supposed to be stealthy but so far everyone just seem like mercenaries. We get paid to do jobs like soldiers. Only the special ops move like a ninja should.

"I wonder how Sai and Shin are doing, I haven't seen them in a while," I muttered in thought.

"They're doing well, especially since," I got an answer I wasn't expecting. I looked over to Yamato as he spoke. "You healed him right? I don't know the details but he became more active after you 'Kidnapped' him. He sent his regards."

Right, I did heal him didn't I?

Thinking back he had the same issue as Itachi. I frowned at the memory. I couldn't find the cancer I took from Itachi no matter how hard I looked. But I'm positive the one I took from Shin was the same. Are there some cells that don't agree with chakra? I know it's just a plot device used by the author but are they actually incompatible with chakra?

"How's Danzo?" I asked. Shin would die either way because of that crazy man.

Yamato was silent.

"He… He isn't doing too well. I think he caught something. One some days it's just one are two coughs but some days he cant get out of bed," Yamato reported.

"Hah! Karma's a bitch!"

'Language!'

"Those symptoms are offley familiar. Seems he's getting his just deserts."

What has that guy done to you?

"Has my clan not suffered at his hands. He should be thankful I don't deal with him myself."

I think we should all be thankful.

"Danzo? Danzo?" Naruto muttered to himself tilting his head left and right as thought to force the memory forward. "Where do I know that name?"

"He's one of the old people you see hanging out with lord third. The guy in the bandages," I clarified.

"Ah!" he finally remembered. "That creepy guy that always looks at me like…." his face dropped. "I hope he dies."

"Naruto!" Kakashi cried.

"He does deserve death," I agreed.

"Sakura!"

"My brother doesn't like him so neither do I," Sasuke placlamed.

"Not you too Sasuke," Kakashi was on the verge of tears. "He's a council member and a student of the second hokage, not to mention good friends with the third."

"Corrupt politician~" I whistled.

"You brats!"

I ran ahead. "He's a creep a creep!" I called as I ran.

"Death is too good for him," Naruto said, chasing after me.

"Hmph," Sasuke joined us without saying anything more.

"If you don't like him I don't like him either," Sora joined in and chased us.

"These kids," I heard Kakashi sighed as I ran off.

Sometimes it is good to act your age. As we ran through the crowd giggling bubbling from our lips, I couldn't help sigh at the thought of what lay ahead.

"Let's just enjoy it for now."

The temple was just as he remembered. The gates are as scary as they were as a child. Nothing about this place had changed. He gazed down on this arm, his normal arm. Only he had changed. But would that matter?

"Can I really live normal person now?" he asked in a weak voice. He didn't know who he was asking but he received an answer.

"It'll take a bit but you can."

He looked back to meet emerald eyes.

"Humans are cowards but once they see you don't bite they should warm up to you. After all don't you guys teach companionship here?" Sakura said to him.

He gripped his sleeve out of habit. Even though they were taught not to judge someone they still did it, and avoided him. Looking at him as though he was some kind of monster.

"Hey Chiriku, make sure to have lunch with him every day until he makes friends," she commanded.

"Huh!?" Chiriku was revoked in surprise.

"WeRe YoU pLaNniNg On LeAvInG hIm AlOnE?"

Killing intent honed in on Chiriku who wanted to cry at the injustice.

"In fact, I think the elders should also have lunch with Sora!" Sakura clapped her hands excitedly at the idea.

"I don't think so," Chiriku tried to object.

"I don't think they'll mind, they have that whole 'have no gurges' thing going on," she interrupted him.

"You can't just make demands of monks Sakura. Kakashi said with a sigh.

"I can't?" She sounded genuinely surprised.

"What do you think?"

"Those with power have dominion over the weak," she said, her voice warping. They flinched at the voice that emerged. "If they don't want to play, what can we do but force them."

With that, she walked off into the temple.

"Wait, Sakura!" Kakashi called out. "What are you!"

"Aggh!" screams ranged out from the temple. The team looked at each other before rushing over to the source, Sora and Chiriku in tow.

They pushed open the doors of the great hall and froze.

"You'll play with Sora right?" her sweet voice made his ear itch. "He's such a good boy, you won't make him feel lonely right!"

Crack!

"Ahhhhh!"

Lying with her back to him she pulled his legs towards her no doubt breaking his spine. It was bizarre to see a child bully an old man.

"Help," the old man cried out but his disciples were already on the ground out cold.

"All you have to do is be nice and the pain will end~" Sakura encouraged.

Kakashi dragged his hand over his face in defeat. The Hokage was a fool to think he could control her.

"Alright alright!" the old man gave in. "I'll be friends with Sora!"

"Swear it!"

"I swear on the Sage!"

Sakura abruptly let go and stood.

"See that won't be so bad she stepped away from him and kicked a disciple that wasn't unconscious.

"Oi," the monk flinched. "You'll play with Sora too right?"

The monk nodded, banging his bald head on the ground. Sakura smiled brightly.

"That's wonderful." She stood and looked over the team. "See Sora, making friends isn't that hard. If anyone gives you a hard time just let me know and I'll be back to straighten them out."

She pulled out a pink butterfly chip and placed it in his hair, combing back his bangs to reveal both eyes.

"My cute little Sora, be sure to live well," she kissed his forehead, and his heart stopped. She grinned at his wide eyes and red face. "And remember don't take shit from anybody!" She fixed her muscled then made the monks flinch.

"I'll do my best," he said, his face flush. Naruto gave him the slug plush and he squeezed it for strength. "I'll definitely live a good life."

Sakura smiled like a pleased cat.

"I'm hungry, let's have lunch together."

"Ehhh!" the monks cried.

Next chapter

October 11