Touch - Chapter 18
“I wasn’t at Ino-chan’s house!” Sakura squealed, made reckless by her success. “I got an apprenticeship with Jiraiya-sama!”
Her mother went still. “No bee stings, then? Or bites?”
“No! No, I’m fine! And I’ve got an apprenticeship with Jiraiya-sama!”
“If you weren’t showing your frog to Ino-chan, where were you?” her mother asked as she straightened and crossed her arms over her chest.
“I was on the training grounds! And it was Jiraiya-sama’s -”
“So you lied to me?”
“Ye - Uh - Oh,” Sakura said, suddenly realizing where this conversation was going. “It was only a little bit. And I got my apprenticeship in exchange for the frog.”
“You lied to us, wandered off to who knows where, and talked to strangers! Haruno Sakura, I’m very disappointed in you. I don’t want to hear another word until your father gets home. We’ll discuss it then.”
“But - But Mama -”
“Now, Sakura.”
Sakura sighed deeply, and in a most put-upon fashion, then stomped up the stairs in a loud display of her displeasure.
“Sakura! Young ladies don’t stomp their feet!”
Sakura tried to stomp harder.
“Sakura!”
She moved as stealthily as a little, chakra-less ninja could after that.
When she got to her room, Sakura flopped across her bed.
“It’s not fair!” she complained into her pillow. “I have plans!”
She was sure that had Neji or Shikamaru or one of the other kages been sent back with Rokudaime they would have thoroughly laughed at the terrible unfairness that was Sakura's life.
The thought only made Sakura angrier.
She stomped the stuffing out of three stuffed bears and a stuffed lion before she felt better.
“I’ll just have to make them want to send me,” she told her fallen foes grimly. “Anything’s possible.”
Sakura was allowed out of exile to attend dinner that night.
“Do you know what our daughter did today?” her mother began stiffly.
Her father blinked.
“Which one? We have two. If you’re referring to the older one, she’s had an excellent afternoon. She secured a trade agreement with one of Ame’s merchants today. It was a lesser trading house but it’s a great start. And the terms she negotiated were quite favorable to us! I’m so proud of her!”
Momo straightened her spine. She seemed to be glowing with the praise.
Genuinely pleased for Momo’s sake Sakura shot her sister a grin and double thumbs up.
“Go, Momo-neechan!”
“I’m always proud of Momo. And I’m so glad that she’s coming along in her trade.” Her mother said, brightening momentarily. One look at Sakura served to make her grim again. “It’s the younger one that I’m disappointed in.”
“Really?” Her father blinked at her. “She looks so sweet. And innocent.”
“She’s very disappointing to me,” her mother said solemnly.
Despite herself, Sakura squirmed in her seat with her embarrassment and sadness.
“No,” her father gasped overly dramatically. “What mischief has she gotten into now?”
“She lied to me as to her whereabouts. She wandered around the village harassing strangers instead of going straight to Ino-chan’s house.”
“That’s grounding for sure,” her father said agreeably. “Sakura, have you apologized for frightening your mother?”
Sakura meant to open her mouth and apologize then try to negotiate to get her way. It was How Things Were Done in the Haruno family.
“But Daddy, it’s a great deal and Mama shouldn’t be allowed to ruin my future just because she’s mad at me!” Sakura wailed instead of her planned speech. “I got an apprenticeship with Jiraiya-sama!”
“An apprenticeship? With who?” Her father sounded genuinely surprised. But he was finally truly interested in her misdeed. “I thought ninja did their apprenticeships when they were older.”
“But I got mine now! Today! And I’m supposed to go on a training trip with him the day after tomorrow so I can’t be grounded!”
“You don’t even attend the Shinobi Academy like you’re supposed to,” Momo sniffed. Thanks to Iruka-sensei, everyone in her family knew about that now. There had been days and days where her family yelled at each other and her about strangers and wandering around alone and Kakashi and being a kunoichi. Sakura had a new sealing goal - anti-Iruka-sensei seals all over the house and her family. “You can’t say that you’re suddenly interested in training and being a kunoichi.”
“School’s boring!” Sakura sneered. “I know that stuff already. But masters have to teach their students different things. Interesting things that you don’t learn at the academy. And Jiraiya-sama is one of the best shinobi in the entire village. Ever!”
“It’s too bad that you’re grounded, then, isn’t it?” said her mother relentlessly. “Start attending school, stop stalking Hatake-san, and stop making your instructors scream and we’ll revisit the issue on an apprenticeship.”
“He’s never going to ask me again!” Sakura flung herself back in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest. “Ino-chan’s dad would let her go, even if she burned down the greenhouse and blew up the flower shop. On purpose.”
Sakura parents traded looks across the table.
“Perhaps we should make further inquiries,” her father said at last. “Just to be responsible.”
Sakura trained watery, pleading eyes on Momo.
“She’s just being dramatic,” her mother said resolutely. “It was also the end of the world when Naruto got gum in her hair. Anyway, being a kunoichi isn’t a career. Not for her. Let some other child, who is actually going to be a ninja, take the apprenticeship.”
“I’m going to be a kunoichi!” Sakura hollered. Her eyes were filling with tears, making everything blurry. “I’m going to be the best kunoichi ever!”
“Sakura!” Her father said sharply. “Don’t speak to your mother that way!”
Sakura burst into tears. She ducked her head and hid her face behind her hands, embarrassed and angered by her helplessness and utterly, deeply despairing.
I’ll never find the right blackmail material ever again!
Momo sighed.
“If she’s traveling with her teacher then she can’t skip classes. And if she was out of the village, she wouldn’t be so much trouble for Hatake-san and Iruka-sensei.” Momo said calmly. “If Sakura’s really bored and unhappy at the Shinobi Academy, forcing her to go for another year is only going to make things worse.”
“I’d b-be very good f-for Jiraiya-sama,” Sakura agreed through her hiccupping sobs. “I’d never run away o-or be bad.”
“And it’s an opportunity for both Sakura and our business. She’ll be traveling to places that we’ve never seen. Who knows what new sorts of goods or services that she might come across? And she’ll be able to see what sorts of goods and services the natives are missing. She can send information and samples back to us so that we’ll have a better idea of where to focus our efforts.”
“I’d write home about every village and town and city and hamlet,” Sakura sniffled wetly. She rubbed at her wet cheeks roughly. “Promise.”
“And she might run across useful information - like stuff on that Gatoh guy. He seems like the sort of thing that a traveling kunoichi might hear about.”
Her parents shared another speaking look between themselves. Finally, her mother sighed. Her shoulders slumped and she nodded.
“Sakura,” her father said evenly. “You still haven’t apologized for raising your voice to your mother. Regardless of what we decide, that isn’t acceptable.”
“Sorry, Mama,” Sakura mumbled, her voice still thick from her tears.
Her father pushed away from the table.
“We can finish eating later. Let’s go visit Ino-chan’s family before it gets too late.”
Sakura leapt out of her seat. As soon as Momo was standing, she threw her arms around her sister’s waist.
“Thank you, Momo-neechan! You won’t be sorry! I’ll be the best ninja ever and you’ll be super proud of me and I’ll be so good!”
Momo’s slim hands awkwardly patted Sakura’s back. “It’s okay, Sakura. I’m sure you’ll do your best.”
“I will!”
And then, just like when she was very young and Momo was the most amazing almost-adult in the entire world, Sakura slipped her hand into Momo’s. Momo blinked then smiled as her hand closed around Sakura’s smaller one.
“It’ll be okay, Sakura-chan,” she comforted as a quiet Haruno family made its way through the evening’s gloom. Around them, house lights were lit and shadows moved against the screens or curtains that blocked Sakura’s view of the families inside. “But you’ve got to learn to control your temper.”
“Yes, Momo-neechan.” Sakura slanted a look up at her sister through her eyelashes. “What did you trade for today?”
“Oh. That. You’re a wild ninja. You’ll think it’s boring.”
“Momo-neechan!”
“Umbrellas,” her sister said. Momo’s cheeks were so pink that Sakura could see them, even through twilight’s gloom. “They make the best umbrellas in Ame because it rains all the time there. I bought a bunch of umbrellas in bulk for a steep discount. They’ll be delivered before the rainy season.”
“That’s great! You’re so smart! I bet we’ll make a ton of money off of them.”
“I hope so.” Momo pressed her lips together. “I made the deal all on my own so if something goes wrong, it’ll be all my fault. But at this point, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
When the family got to the Yamanaka Flower Shop, it was already closed for the evening so Sakura led them around to the side of the building where there was a very narrow gap in the bricks. In the gap was a very narrow set of stairs. At the top of the stairs, Sakura pressed the doorbell next to a wooden door that was painted black.
After a few moments, Yamanaka Inoichi opened the door. His eyes widened at the sight of them.
Sakura and Momo, still standing hand-in-hand, were standing single file at the front of the group. Their mother was behind Momo and their father brought up the rear.
“Yamanaka-san!” Sakura said, unnaturally happy as always to see Ino’s father. The memories of what was-not-yet, and would-hopefully-never-be, ensured her eternal fondness of the Yamanaka clan in general and Inoichi in particular. Even if she could not trust Ino's dad, Sakura liked him. “Hi!”
“Good evening,” Sakura’s father said from his place in the back. “We’re dreadfully sorry for the unannounced visit but the matter is terribly important, if only for the sake of familial harmony - and possibly my sanity. May we come in?”
A smile twitched around Inoichi’s mouth. “Of course. Come in.”
As Sakura passed Inoichi, he handed her a key. She led her family up another set of narrow steps to a second black door which the key unlocked.
When Ino’s dad joined Sakura’s family in the mudroom, Sakura gave him the key back then he led them into the family’s living room.
Inoichi gravely accepted the gift that Sakura’s mother held out to him.
Sakura’s family kept a supply of small gifts to give on unexpected formal occasions. The wrapping paper on the box was a soft pink color with little blooming white roses curling across it.
Tea, Sakura thought. The good stuff from Land of Tea.
“We’re sorry to put you out this way,” her mother said as Ino’s father accepted the gift. “We just didn’t know who else to ask about this.”
“It’s fine,” Ino’s father said as he led the group into the family room. “Tea?”
“Oh no, we couldn’t possibly,” Sakura’s mother demurred as everyone claimed a seat. “It’s already so late and I’m sure you’d like to get on with your evening plans.”
“In that case, what can we help you with?” asked Inoichi.
There was a moment of uneasy silence as Sakura’s parents and sister stared at one another. Sakura focused on keeping quiet and not wiggling too much.
When Inoichi arched an eyebrow at her, Sakura flushed and stopped kicking her feet.
“I suppose the first question should be: who is…” Momo’s voice trailed off.
“Jiraiya-sama!” Sakura helpfully put in.
Inoichi stared for a moment as if shocked that her family did not know that name. When her sister shifted uncomfortably, he blinked and tilted his head.
“Jiraiya-sama is one of Hokage-sama’s three students. He’s also known as the Legendary Toad Sannin. He has been offered the position of Hokage several times but he has always turned it down. Instead, one of Jiraiya-sama’s students became Yondaime. He is one of the greatest ninja that this village has ever produced and a living legend. May I ask why you’ve developed a sudden interest in Jiraiya-sama?”
Sakura’s father sighed. Her mother’s shoulders drooped.
Momo tilted her lovely chin up ever so slightly and straightened her shoulders.
“Sakura says that Jiraiya-sama has offered her an apprenticeship. They would leave the day after tomorrow.”
The lines of Inoichi’s face went slack momentarily. Then he blinked once, long and slow, and his reaction was gone.
“Momo-neechan’s on my side but Mama and Papa don’t understand that this is a once in a lifetime chance!” Sakura blurted. “And school’s boring! I already know that stuff! And I really, really want to go Yamanaka-san!”
“It’s been a long time since I saw Jiraiya-sama,” Inoichi mused. “How did he look, Sakura-chan?”
“Like a pervert.”
Momo choked on her next breath. Her mother made a strangling noise. And her father choked on a huff of laughter.
Inoichi just grinned.
“What was his hair like? What was he wearing? Did he have any marks on his face?”
So Sakura closed her eyes and described the man that the toad had vomited up. She very carefully avoided any reference to Sandaime.
“And where did you find him?”
“On the woman’s side of the bathhouse. He was peeping.”
“Sakura!” Momo yelped. “You said you just found that disgusting frog!”
“Well, he’s a much better ninja than me,” Sakura said reasonably. “No way was I going to capture him. So I took his subordinate hostage. Remember? I told you that the frog was my cute little hostage.”
“We just thought you were being weird!” Momo briefly turned her attention to Inoichi, who was quietly laughing. “It was not little or cute. It was huge and disgusting and wet.”
“It was adorable. And I traded the frog summons for the apprenticeship. Also, I promised not to tell the kunoichi who were bathing there that he had been peeping.”
Momo made a noise like a strangled scream.
“The kunoichi - I was bathing there!” Her mother exploded. “Your sister was bathing there! He saw us naked!”
“And I kicked him for that. Twice. After he agreed to my apprenticeship.”
Sakura’s father had his face in his hands. His shoulders were silently shaking. Inoichi was openly grinning.
“Ah, Sakura-chan,” the older shinobi asked, “how did you keep the frog from escaping?”
“I told him that I’d make him watch me eat his legs if he tried.” Sakura shrugged. “I was out of chakra from finding and catching him.”
“Ah. Just - Give me a moment.” Inoichi disappeared into one of the inner rooms only to reappear a few minutes later with a paper and a very sharp pencil. “Ne, Sakura-chan, would you like to help me with this while I talk to your parents?”
“Sure!”
So Inoichi led Sakura to the kitchen where she sat at the table and very carefully worked on the worksheet. Some of the questions were geography or logic problems but most of them were math problems.
Sakura, who had always liked math, quite liked the worksheet. She worked on it, carefully showing her work for each problem and drawing and labeling maps where appropriate, while adult voices rose and fell in the other room. Sakura was nearly finished with question number seven when Inoichi Yamanaka and her parents came into the kitchen.
“How’s it going, Sakura-chan?”
“Nearly done,” she said as she drew a last line on her wobbly sketch of the problem’s described setup. She had yet to actually start the problem itself. “I’m on number seven.”
“Can I see your work so far?”
Sakura nodded and passed it back to Inoichi who sat down in the seat next to her and quickly graded her work.
“Very good, Sakura-chan,” he praised. “I think I can do the rest.”
“It’s time for us to go home now,” her mother said gently, despite the lines of strain on her face.
“Can I go with Jiraiya-sama?” Sakura asked hopefully. “Please. I’ll be so, so good!”
Her parents exchanged another glance.
“Yes,” said her mother. “We’ll see you off.”
“Thank you, Yamanaka-san!” Sakura yelped. She lunged at Ino’s father for a hug. He tensed then relaxed and caught her.
A quick hug for him then she was off to thank and hug her mother and Momo and father.
“I’ll see you on the day after tomorrow,” Yamanaka-san promised Sakura’s parents as he let the family out. “Good night.”
Sakura skipped most of the way home. When she got tired, her father carried Sakura the rest of the way home.
“Sakura!” hollered Momo’s voice the next morning. The overhead lights flicked on. “Wake up!”
“Nngh.” Sakura pulled her covers over her head. “Too bright.”
“Get up!” shouted Momo’s voice a few minutes later. “We have to get ready for your trip!”
Sakura tiredly sat up and rubbed her eyes. A quick look out of her curtains showed that the sun had not yet risen. The world outside of her room was still wonderfully dark and still.
It was Sakura’s favorite part of the day.
When she scrambled out of bed, Sakura noticed something strange.
Lying on the foot of her bed was a bright red pack with the Haruno clan symbol stitched into its flap, a bright red sleeping roll and pad both with the Haruno clan symbol on them, and a bright red canteen with the Haruno clan symbol etched into its side. They were wholly impractical for a sneaky kunoichi.
Sakura loved them instantly.
She raced down the stairs to hug everyone around the breakfast table.
“I love them and they’re wonderful and where did they come from?”
“The whole family was going to go on a trading trip,” her father admitted. “After the chunin exams ended and before your school year started up again, of course.” His smile was brittle around the edges as he added, “We never imagined your apprenticeship with Jiraiya-sama.”
“I know! Isn’t it wonderful?”
His smile faltered ever so slightly. “Yeah. Have you had any bacon?”
That day, something extraordinary happened. When her father left for the family’s shop, her mother went with him. Momo, armed with a list of supplies that Sakura would need and a money pouch, stayed home.
Her eyes gleaming with an unholy, shopping light, Momo made a fist and pumped it over her head.
“We shall go! We shall shop! We shall get amazing bargains!”
“Yes!” Sakura shouted, pumping her own, smaller fists over her head. “We’ll win!”
“Yes! And stomp the other side into the dirt!”
“They’ll eat it!”
“And learn to like it!”
“Yes!”
Pre-shopping victory chant completed, two Haruno girls stormed out to shop.
It was the sort of thing that Sakura knew that years later, when she was older and more jaded, she would make fun of Naruto and Team Gai for liking. But at seven years old, it was fun and inspiring. Sakura also knew that when she grew out of pre-shopping chants Momo would drop them entirely. Somehow, knowing that Momo was being goofy for her benefit made the silly ritual even better for Sakura.
The morning passed in a whirlwind of narrow-eyed inspection, faux disappointment, and ferocious haggling.
Momo really is the one best suited to running Dad’s business, Sakura thought happily as she watched her older sister upbraid the retired ninja who had tried to sell them a cheap, substandard cloak. The scars across his face were still pink and angry looking and he walked with an obvious limp. The fact that the ninja across the counter from them could probably snap Momo’s neck without even putting any effort into it in no way cowed Momo. Like most people who grew up in a shinobi village, she was blind to the scars, the limp, and the potential for violence.
Sakura only noticed the scars and limp because she wondered if he would have had them if Tsunade-shisho or Shizune-san had treated his injuries. She considered the violence thing - and decided that the shinobi across the counter was not the crazy, violent sort - because she was with Momo who would hopefully never know how crazy most shinobi were.
“It won’t even keep the water off of her,” Momo snapped as she waved the offending article of clothing about. On the counter between them lay the medical kit, hip pouch, shuriken holster, blank tags, a capped bottle of waterproof ink, brush, a box of rations bars, and braces of kunai, shuriken, and senbon that Sakura had picked out. She and Momo had thoroughly inspected the quality and craftsmanship of each item before it was added to their pile of goods. “My sister might die of a cold because you’re trying to increase a sale!”
Momo knew nothing about shopping for ninja gear, but she knew everything about shopping for apparel.
“The supplier said -”
“Suppliers lie! That’s why you have to check the goods for yourself!”
The man narrowed his eyes at Momo. “How would you like a job?”
Momo’s eyes widened. Then she sniffed and flipped her long, straight hair over her shoulder.
“I have one. I’m a member of the Haruno Trading House. I’m in charge of the inclement weather division.”
Sakura hid a smile behind her hand. While that was not entirely true, it was not exactly a lie either.
“I see. You’re drumming up business.”
“What? No! Just look at this stitching! My little sister could do better!”
“Hey!” cried an indignant Sakura. “Leave me out of it!”
Momo and the older ninja ignored her entirely.
“And this material is all wrong! It’ll retain rain water and make the cloak heavy and moldy.”
The ninja nodded seriously.
“I see. I see. My clan always assigned our clothing so I’ve never actually considered the effects of a particular fabric before.” He looked wistfully at the cloak. “What would it be good for then?”
“If the stitching were neater, it would be good for someplace very dry with cold nights. This material is very warm but terrible for Konoha’s rainy season.”
He regarded Momo for a moment.
“She’s leaving the village then,” he said with a nod at Sakura. It was an abrupt change in subject. “With her jonin-sensei?”
“Er…” Momo looked at Sakura for help.
“It’s an apprenticeship,” Sakura quickly supplied. “The first trip will be for approximately three weeks. We have to come back for the chunin exams.”
“How would you like something better than rations bars to eat?”
“I don’t have enough chakra to do any sealing,” Sakura said honestly.
The man grinned at her. It pulled against his scars and changed his expression into something awful.
“But you could activate one.”
“Well… yeah.”
“Then go buy some bento boxes and I’ll seal them into a scroll for you, free of charge, to thank your sis for her timely advice. And I’ll do your exploding tags.”
Momo flushed and smiled back shyly. “Thank you. We’ll - We’ll be right back.”
When they returned with a teetering stack of bento boxes, he happily sealed them into a scroll for Sakura. By the time he finished with the sealing he had introduced himself, agreed on a price with Momo for Sakura’s supplies, got the basic gist of an apparel contract with Momo, and wrangled a date with Momo for Friday night.
Momo was all blushes and smiles when they left the shop.
Sakura was happy for Momo. Momo had always enjoyed dating.
After lunch Momo bought a cloak for Sakura from the family’s trading books and then ripped the bottom seam out.
“This is just for emergencies,” Momo said as she began to sew ryo into the bottom hem. “I’ll do the same for your pack later. Mama’s setting up a personal account for you with the bank and that’ll be where your travel allowance will be. As long as you’re in Fire Country, you should have access to money. I suppose you’ll want to go say goodbye to your friends?”
Sakura nodded.
“Go find a basket for this and we’ll go.”
Momo sewed and listened while Sakura said her goodbyes one by one. Most of Sakura’s friends were from ninja families. They were happy for her if a bit sad about her going away. Naruto, however, was hurt and angry with her.
“Fine,” he snapped. “Go away and leave me here all alone.”
“Naruto-kun, I -”
“I don’t want to talk about it!” he shouted as he ran away from her.
Sakura dragged her sleeve across her eyes.
“Naruto-kun isn’t angry with you,” Momo said as her hand rubbed comforting circles into Sakura’s back. “He’s just worried about being alone again. And maybe about not being friends with you when you come back.”
“Why wouldn’t we be?”
“I don’t know. Kids worry about silly things. Don’t worry about it.”
“I don’t want Naruto-kun or Kakashi-kun to be lonely without me! Maybe I shouldn’t go! I could stay and -”
“You’re going to go on your Great Ninja Adventure,” Momo interrupted, her voice firm. “And you’re going to have fun and learn lots of new things. And when you come back, everything will be fine. Just - Just remember to write everyone letters. It’ll make things easier for everyone.”
“But I don’t have any paper,” Sakura sniffled. “Or envelopes. And I only know our address.”
“It’ll be fine. I’ll make sure that all of your letters get where they’re supposed to go.” Momo’s voice was bright when she added, “But we should definitely go buy some stationary for you!”
“After I say goodbye to Kakashi-kun and Tenzo-san and maybe Rin-chan if she’s back.”
Momo sighed. “If you want to.”
Sakura nodded. She took Momo to all of Kakashi’s favorite haunts - the stone, certain rooftops, and Yondaime’s head - before she took Momo to the jonin clubhouse. Sakura asked a jonin to see if Kakashi was inside.
She bounced on her toes when Tenzo came out to see her. But when she looked behind Tenzo there was no Kakashi.
Confused, Sakura stopped bouncing.
Tenzo beamed at Sakura.
“Hi, Sakura-san.” His eyes slipped over to Momo. Sakura watched, fascinated, as Tenzo’s face turned pink. He clumsily adjusted his forehead protector. Shyly he said, “Hi.”
His voice broke somewhere in the middle of the word. Tenzoo’s light blush darkened.
Momo giggled. She waved at Tenzo with the hand that Sakura was not holding. “Hi.”
Sakura, her smile so wide that it actually ached a bit at the corners, said, “We’re looking for Kakashi-kun.”
“He’s on a solo mission,” Tenzo said with a grimace. “You’ll be able to see him about three days from today.”
“I’m leaving tomorrow! I’m going on a trip with Jiraiya-sama! I won’t get to say goodbye to him or Rin-san!”
Tenzo’s eyebrows arched, his eyes darkened, and he stiffened but all he said was “Write him a letter.”
Sakura nodded. “I’ll do that.”
Tenzo nodded back then turned to go back inside.
Sakura stared after him, her eyebrows knitted into a frown and her mouth trembling.
Is he mad at me? Why? For leaving?
As far as she could remember Tenzo had never gotten mad at her for anything. Ever. In either timeline.
But he was short. And he never even asked me about Jiraiya-sama! Tenzo-san always asks questions about the stuff that I want to talk about! And he never hugged me! Tenzo-san always wants hugs. I don’t want Tenzo-san to be mad at me too!
Sakura’s eyes were watering and the world was a bright blur when Momo called, “Hey! Wait, Shinobi-san!”
Tenzo paused in his tracks. He turned to Momo. “Is there anything else I can I help you with?”
“Yeah. Uh, we’re looking for someone else. Maybe he’s in there too?” Her eyes darted to Sakura who was too busy sniffling wetly and rubbing her watering eyes with her fists to help Momo with anything. “I’m sorry. I don’t know his full name. Sakura just calls him ‘Tenzo-san’ or sometimes ‘my Tenzo-san’ so…”
Tenzo’s stiff expression melted into a sweet smile. His eyes, which had been dark and flat and empty, now sparkled with his delight.
“I’m him.”
Momo beamed. “That’s really handy.”
Tenzo looked at Sakura with soft eyes. He moved much closer to Sakura and Momo. When he offered Sakura a handkerchief, Sakura accepted it gratefully. She blotted her wet eyes and cheeks and blew her nose in it.
His smile was still hovering around his mouth when he asked, “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”
“Yeah!” Sakura nodded, unable to understand exactly what was going on except that Tenzo was mad at her but now he was happy again which made Sakura happier. “This is my Momo-neechan! Momo-neechan, this is Tenzo-san!”
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Tenzo said with a courteous bow of his head.
Momo’s mouth stretched into a pleased smile.
“I’m really happy to meet you too,” she said warmly. “Sakura-chan says that you give the best hugs.”
Tenzo looked startled. His face went bright red again. “I - ah - that is -”
“Sakura-chan and I need to purchase some stationary so that she can write to everyone. I don’t suppose you know how to make a - er - seal.” Momo looked down at Sakura. “That’s what it’s called right? When things get smushed into words or a little symbol?”
Sakura nodded. “Uh, yeah. I mean, sealing is actually a branch of the ninja arts but most ninja can’t do more than that.”
“Really? It looks very useful.”
“It’s also very hard.” Sakura said with real feeling. She swiped a dry bit of the handkerchief across her cheeks and pocketed it. No one wanted their handkerchief to be returned while it was still dirty. “And tricky. Very, very tricky.”
Momo nodded, accepting that Sakura’s word for it.
Tenzo, who knew quite well that sealing was definitely not taught at the academy, looked at Sakura with sparks of interest in his expression.
All he said was, “I know enough to help Sakura-kun with her sealing. Did you need help packing anything else?”
His voice broke again and Tenzo blushed. Or maybe the blush was from Momo casually looping her arm through Tenzo’s.
“I’m not sure.” Momo said. Sakura could just see his bright red face past Momo’s shoulder. Tenzo-san sure blushes a lot around Momo-neechan. “Why don’t you listen to what we’ve been up to today and tell us if we’ve gotten everything that Sakura-chan needs? And, of course, you’ll know which inks are least likely to run in the rain.”
“O-Of course. I’d be happy to help.”
Happy, Sakura skipped as her sister made conversation with her friend.
* * * * *
Aghast, Jiraiya stared at the Yamanaka sitting across from him.
“You’re kidding.”
The Yamanaka at least had the good grace to look abashed.
“I know it’s a ridiculous claim since Sakura-chan’s still at the academy. But she’s very bright and her chakra control is amazing even if her chakra core is still underdeveloped so -”
“How could they not have heard of the Gallant Jiraiya? Of the Magnificent Toad Sannin?” Jiraiya leapt to his feet and struck one of his favorite kabuki poses. He had one foot balanced on the seat of his chair and the other on the edge of the table he had been sitting at. From somewhere behind him, old man Sarutobi sighed. Deeply. “How could they have not noticed a living legend?”
The Yamanaka coughed into his fist. “Sakura-chan’s family is civilian.”
Jiraiya’s stance wilted a bit. He returned his feet to the floor.
“Oh. Then it makes sense that they wouldn’t know much about shinobi. Did you tell them that I wrote the Icha Icha series?”
“They’re - er - very nice people,” the Yamanaka man said in strangled tones. “So - uh - no. They’d never even heard of it?”
The lilt in his voice turned that last sentence into a question.
There was a moment of thunderstruck silence.
Jiraiya literally felt the blood drain from his face.
“Can they even read?”
The idea that his newest student was so fierce and talented and determined despite coming from such a terrible, downtrodden and completely uninspiring background was so tragic that Jiraiya immediately swiped a brush, blank scroll, and ink bottle off of old man Sarutobi’s desk.
I’ve got to write this down for Icha Icha Academy!
The old man’s coughing fit sounded suspiciously like a laughing jag. The Yamanaka, who was facing away from Jiraiya, was making strangled gasping sounds. His shoulders were shaking.
Jiraiya nobly ignored them both. One had to overlook things like that when one was universally agreed to be gallant.
“I’m pretty sure that they can,” the Yamanaka said when he had control of his allergies again. His expression was very straight. “They’re also very good at numbers. They’re merchants.”
“Oh. Well, that explains it.” Jiraiya said absently as he sketched out his heroine’s profile. He used ‘Sakurako’ as a placeholding name until he could think of something else to call the leading lady. “What was that you said about her being very intelligent?”
“Sakura-chan has been friends with my daughter since the first day of general education so I’ve been observing her for quite awhile,” the Yamanaka said. “She learned tree walking before she started at the academy.”
Jiraiya put down his pen. He watched as the Yamanaka pulled a crumpled sheet of paper out of one of his kunai pouches. He could nearly feel his old teacher’s sudden interest in his new student. What had been an old fool’s whim to indulge a child’s demands was suddenly something with a great deal more potential.
For himself, Jiraiya was determined to be more cautious with his hopes.
He had already been cruelly disappointed by fate twice before.
“When her family came to ask me about you, I gave Sakura the rough draft for this year’s paper and pencil portion of my clan’s genin exam. I didn’t expect anything. I was just trying to distract her. It took her nearly two hours to work her way through six and a half problems but her answers are correct.”
The Yamanaka put the paper on the table and slid it over to Jiraiya.
While Jiraiya studied the childish handwriting, wobbling lines and occasionally highly questionable logic on the paper he was holding, Sarutobi asked, “What is your impression of her abilities?”
The Yamanaka hesitated.
“Everyone knows that the Sharingan copies what it sees perfectly and down to the last detail,” he said at last. “Sakura’s mind is like an anti-Sharingan. She remembers everything that she reads or experiences but she can’t steal the details of a technique or chakra flows just from watching. She thinks about it, experiments, and takes it apart. When she thinks she understands it, she takes what she likes from it and figures out ways to counter or improve on the rest.”
“That’s a very sophisticated thought process for such a little girl,” hummed Sarutobi.
“That’s what she does not what she thinks. Sakura-chan just does things that interest her. She figured out how to tree walk when one of my clan’s genin teased the kids by putting their ball into a tree without any low branches. After Choza let the girl into his clan’s training grounds, she took up medical jutsu.” Jiraiya looked up from the girl’s busy work. The lines of the Yamanaka’s face were very earnest as he said, “I didn’t go far into her mind but from what I experienced her mind feels like any other child’s mind. She’s frighteningly intelligent, of course, but she’s still just a little girl.”
Sarutobi hummed noncommittally. “I think I’d like to speak with her homeroom instructor at the academy. And review her school records, of course.” Sarutobi leaned forward, across his desk to say, “I know it’s an unorthodox use of your work time but I’d rather this stayed between the three of us. Would you mind fetching the teacher and the records for me?”
The Yamanaka inclined his head. “Of course, Hokage-sama.”
“Thinking about stealing my new student?” Jiraiya teased his old teacher when the other man as gone.
“Her abilities are unnatural for a civilian.”
“They’re improbable but not impossible. Nothing’s impossible,” Jiraiya argued, using one of Minato’s favorite phrases. “She’s probably just a genius. And that’s fine. The clans can’t produce all of our heroes.”
“That little girl is not Minato-san,” Sarutobi said sharply.
“She isn’t Orochimaru, either!” Jiraiya snapped.
There was nothing more to say after that.
Sarutobi worked on his neverending paperwork.
Jiraiya scribbled reports on the information he had turned up while he was away (and snuck notes onto his character sheets for Sakurako and Gin of Icha Icha Academy).
When the Yamanaka man returned, it was with a young chunin-level instructor in tow. The teenager had brown hair, kind brown eyes, a serious expression and a scar across the bridge of his nose. There was a thick folder wedged under one arm.
He looked exactly like what an academy teacher should look like in Jiraiya’s opinion.
“Yes, Hokage-sama?”
“Aaahhhh, Iruka-sensei. My student has tentatively taken on a new student,” Sandaime said genially. While the old man could be genuinely friendly, Jiraiya knew when the friendliness was for show. Right there was a Hokage trying to put a subordinate at ease - the better to discreetly pump him for information. “And he thought he might like to take a look at her school records.”
“Haruno Sakura?” There was a faint note of disbelief in the young man’s voice.
“Do you have an objection?” Sarutobi asked.
“No… Not exactly. She’s very intelligent and has amazing chakra control but… well… she’s a handful.” The chunin said as he passed Jiraiya the folder. “Her chakra core is still too underdeveloped for a genin’s assignments or I’d recommend her for early graduation. Individualized lessons under a master might be best for her.”
Jiray blinked - then smirked.
“She hasn’t been to school for an entire day - muchless for two days in a row - in nearly nine weeks.”
Iruka flushed.
“Yeah. She’s very good at sneaking out of the school. She can walk on the ceilings, muffle, mask, and suppress her chakra and she hides in the shadows.” Jiraiya felt his interest in the kid pick up. “Sealing tags put a damper on her activities toward the end of the year but,” the academy instructor shrugged, his hands open at his sides, “she still gets out. She’s a handful. And her family is uninterested in her academics or her growth as shinobi. Honestly, I’ve been trying to think how to coax her into attending properly next year.”
“Any other interesting abilities?” Sandaime asked.
“Her stealth and tracking skills are developing rapidly. And she seems to have a natural talent for medical jutsu. She can use the mystical palm technique to heal minor injuries.”
Sandaime’s eyes narrowed. “Who taught her?”
The academy instructor shrugged restlessly. “She says that she taught herself.”
Sarutobi humphed.
“Since the academy wasn’t taking up her time, I suppose,” Jiraiya drawled as he fished out a packet of papers. He casually rifled through the packet to discover that it had completed final exams for each of the year levels.
“Yes,” Iruka said, sounding terribly embarrassed. “I’d honestly be relieved if you took her on.”
Jiraiya lost the thread of the conversation while he inspected the tests but he had the general impression that they were discussing the girl’s academic abilities. Jiraiya was far more interested in her answers to the questions regarding the Shinobi Handbook.
Sakura had not just answered them incorrectly. She had been spectacularly, defiantly, unrepentantly and completely wrong in the best way possible.
“Listen to this, old man,” Jiraiya said, carelessly interrupting the others. “The question tells the reader to write and explain rule number four. My student -” It was so odd to say those words without the word ‘former’ separating them. Jiraiya relished the change. “- wrote: The rule is that a shinobi must always put the mission first. This rule should be ignored because it is wrong and stupid.”
Iruka flushed. He looked unutterably embarrassed. The Yamanaka bit back a smile. Sarutobi huffed. His teeth clenched on his pipe stem. Jiraiya kept reading.
“Konohagakure is a family. Missions are for the village’s money. No one should put getting money for their family over their family’s lives. People in your family are more important than missions. They should be protected. It’s best of all to save your teammates and then save the mission. The end.”
“I swear I didn’t -”
Sarutobi waved his hand at the younger man. “I know.”
“Listen to this one,” Jiraya said. “The question asks the student to define the word ‘mission.’ A mission is putting one person or a squad of people in danger for something that the whole village wants or needs. Sometimes you have to put one person or one squad in danger to protect the rest of the family. A good ninja can’t be careless and throw her comrades away. But she can’t be so careful that she tries to do all the fighting herself and leaves everyone behind. Everyone has to stick together and work hard to finish a mission. The End.”
That was the wrong answer. And a kid as smart as Sakura had to know that when she took the exam.
This new kid was nothing like his other ones - not the ones from Konoha or the ones from Ame - but like his previous students, she had a spark all her own. And she quite obviously possessed uniquely twisted definitions for ‘village’ and ‘family’ to boot.
They’d like her, Jiraiya decided again. The idea filled him with warmth. This was one of my better ideas.
“I assigned her Hokage-sama’s treatise on the shinobi’s handbook.” Iruka said apologetically. “She’s been dragging it everywhere with her lately.”
Jiraiya winced. The last person to actually read ‘The Annotated and Explained Shinobi’s Handbook’ was probably Hatake Kakashi and it was pretty obvious how much good that did him.
After his initial reaction came the laughter.
He remembered girly magazines hidden inside of his anatomy textbooks and romance novels that found their way into Tsunade’s genjutsu textbooks and the flare of triumph in Sakura’s pale eyes when he agreed to teach her.
There’s no way that’s what she’s actually reading. The person who wrote these answers isn’t going to care about what’s in the Shinobi Handbook, even if it’s annotated or explained.
Iruka and Sarutobi both looked mildly offended. The Yamanaka just looked confused.
Jiraiya rolled up his character scroll, capped his borrowed bottle of ink, and tossed the kid’s informal assessment test at Sarutobi. His old teacher caught the rolled up packet of papers with a deftness that belayed his age.
“I’ll be back,” Jiraiya promised before he made his grand exit from one of the old man’s windows.
The mystery of my student’s illicit reading materials cannot wait!
This entry was originally posted at http://crunchysunrises.dreamwidth.org/29052.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
Her mother went still. “No bee stings, then? Or bites?”
“No! No, I’m fine! And I’ve got an apprenticeship with Jiraiya-sama!”
“If you weren’t showing your frog to Ino-chan, where were you?” her mother asked as she straightened and crossed her arms over her chest.
“I was on the training grounds! And it was Jiraiya-sama’s -”
“So you lied to me?”
“Ye - Uh - Oh,” Sakura said, suddenly realizing where this conversation was going. “It was only a little bit. And I got my apprenticeship in exchange for the frog.”
“You lied to us, wandered off to who knows where, and talked to strangers! Haruno Sakura, I’m very disappointed in you. I don’t want to hear another word until your father gets home. We’ll discuss it then.”
“But - But Mama -”
“Now, Sakura.”
Sakura sighed deeply, and in a most put-upon fashion, then stomped up the stairs in a loud display of her displeasure.
“Sakura! Young ladies don’t stomp their feet!”
Sakura tried to stomp harder.
“Sakura!”
She moved as stealthily as a little, chakra-less ninja could after that.
When she got to her room, Sakura flopped across her bed.
“It’s not fair!” she complained into her pillow. “I have plans!”
She was sure that had Neji or Shikamaru or one of the other kages been sent back with Rokudaime they would have thoroughly laughed at the terrible unfairness that was Sakura's life.
The thought only made Sakura angrier.
She stomped the stuffing out of three stuffed bears and a stuffed lion before she felt better.
“I’ll just have to make them want to send me,” she told her fallen foes grimly. “Anything’s possible.”
Sakura was allowed out of exile to attend dinner that night.
“Do you know what our daughter did today?” her mother began stiffly.
Her father blinked.
“Which one? We have two. If you’re referring to the older one, she’s had an excellent afternoon. She secured a trade agreement with one of Ame’s merchants today. It was a lesser trading house but it’s a great start. And the terms she negotiated were quite favorable to us! I’m so proud of her!”
Momo straightened her spine. She seemed to be glowing with the praise.
Genuinely pleased for Momo’s sake Sakura shot her sister a grin and double thumbs up.
“Go, Momo-neechan!”
“I’m always proud of Momo. And I’m so glad that she’s coming along in her trade.” Her mother said, brightening momentarily. One look at Sakura served to make her grim again. “It’s the younger one that I’m disappointed in.”
“Really?” Her father blinked at her. “She looks so sweet. And innocent.”
“She’s very disappointing to me,” her mother said solemnly.
Despite herself, Sakura squirmed in her seat with her embarrassment and sadness.
“No,” her father gasped overly dramatically. “What mischief has she gotten into now?”
“She lied to me as to her whereabouts. She wandered around the village harassing strangers instead of going straight to Ino-chan’s house.”
“That’s grounding for sure,” her father said agreeably. “Sakura, have you apologized for frightening your mother?”
Sakura meant to open her mouth and apologize then try to negotiate to get her way. It was How Things Were Done in the Haruno family.
“But Daddy, it’s a great deal and Mama shouldn’t be allowed to ruin my future just because she’s mad at me!” Sakura wailed instead of her planned speech. “I got an apprenticeship with Jiraiya-sama!”
“An apprenticeship? With who?” Her father sounded genuinely surprised. But he was finally truly interested in her misdeed. “I thought ninja did their apprenticeships when they were older.”
“But I got mine now! Today! And I’m supposed to go on a training trip with him the day after tomorrow so I can’t be grounded!”
“You don’t even attend the Shinobi Academy like you’re supposed to,” Momo sniffed. Thanks to Iruka-sensei, everyone in her family knew about that now. There had been days and days where her family yelled at each other and her about strangers and wandering around alone and Kakashi and being a kunoichi. Sakura had a new sealing goal - anti-Iruka-sensei seals all over the house and her family. “You can’t say that you’re suddenly interested in training and being a kunoichi.”
“School’s boring!” Sakura sneered. “I know that stuff already. But masters have to teach their students different things. Interesting things that you don’t learn at the academy. And Jiraiya-sama is one of the best shinobi in the entire village. Ever!”
“It’s too bad that you’re grounded, then, isn’t it?” said her mother relentlessly. “Start attending school, stop stalking Hatake-san, and stop making your instructors scream and we’ll revisit the issue on an apprenticeship.”
“He’s never going to ask me again!” Sakura flung herself back in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest. “Ino-chan’s dad would let her go, even if she burned down the greenhouse and blew up the flower shop. On purpose.”
Sakura parents traded looks across the table.
“Perhaps we should make further inquiries,” her father said at last. “Just to be responsible.”
Sakura trained watery, pleading eyes on Momo.
“She’s just being dramatic,” her mother said resolutely. “It was also the end of the world when Naruto got gum in her hair. Anyway, being a kunoichi isn’t a career. Not for her. Let some other child, who is actually going to be a ninja, take the apprenticeship.”
“I’m going to be a kunoichi!” Sakura hollered. Her eyes were filling with tears, making everything blurry. “I’m going to be the best kunoichi ever!”
“Sakura!” Her father said sharply. “Don’t speak to your mother that way!”
Sakura burst into tears. She ducked her head and hid her face behind her hands, embarrassed and angered by her helplessness and utterly, deeply despairing.
I’ll never find the right blackmail material ever again!
Momo sighed.
“If she’s traveling with her teacher then she can’t skip classes. And if she was out of the village, she wouldn’t be so much trouble for Hatake-san and Iruka-sensei.” Momo said calmly. “If Sakura’s really bored and unhappy at the Shinobi Academy, forcing her to go for another year is only going to make things worse.”
“I’d b-be very good f-for Jiraiya-sama,” Sakura agreed through her hiccupping sobs. “I’d never run away o-or be bad.”
“And it’s an opportunity for both Sakura and our business. She’ll be traveling to places that we’ve never seen. Who knows what new sorts of goods or services that she might come across? And she’ll be able to see what sorts of goods and services the natives are missing. She can send information and samples back to us so that we’ll have a better idea of where to focus our efforts.”
“I’d write home about every village and town and city and hamlet,” Sakura sniffled wetly. She rubbed at her wet cheeks roughly. “Promise.”
“And she might run across useful information - like stuff on that Gatoh guy. He seems like the sort of thing that a traveling kunoichi might hear about.”
Her parents shared another speaking look between themselves. Finally, her mother sighed. Her shoulders slumped and she nodded.
“Sakura,” her father said evenly. “You still haven’t apologized for raising your voice to your mother. Regardless of what we decide, that isn’t acceptable.”
“Sorry, Mama,” Sakura mumbled, her voice still thick from her tears.
Her father pushed away from the table.
“We can finish eating later. Let’s go visit Ino-chan’s family before it gets too late.”
Sakura leapt out of her seat. As soon as Momo was standing, she threw her arms around her sister’s waist.
“Thank you, Momo-neechan! You won’t be sorry! I’ll be the best ninja ever and you’ll be super proud of me and I’ll be so good!”
Momo’s slim hands awkwardly patted Sakura’s back. “It’s okay, Sakura. I’m sure you’ll do your best.”
“I will!”
And then, just like when she was very young and Momo was the most amazing almost-adult in the entire world, Sakura slipped her hand into Momo’s. Momo blinked then smiled as her hand closed around Sakura’s smaller one.
“It’ll be okay, Sakura-chan,” she comforted as a quiet Haruno family made its way through the evening’s gloom. Around them, house lights were lit and shadows moved against the screens or curtains that blocked Sakura’s view of the families inside. “But you’ve got to learn to control your temper.”
“Yes, Momo-neechan.” Sakura slanted a look up at her sister through her eyelashes. “What did you trade for today?”
“Oh. That. You’re a wild ninja. You’ll think it’s boring.”
“Momo-neechan!”
“Umbrellas,” her sister said. Momo’s cheeks were so pink that Sakura could see them, even through twilight’s gloom. “They make the best umbrellas in Ame because it rains all the time there. I bought a bunch of umbrellas in bulk for a steep discount. They’ll be delivered before the rainy season.”
“That’s great! You’re so smart! I bet we’ll make a ton of money off of them.”
“I hope so.” Momo pressed her lips together. “I made the deal all on my own so if something goes wrong, it’ll be all my fault. But at this point, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
When the family got to the Yamanaka Flower Shop, it was already closed for the evening so Sakura led them around to the side of the building where there was a very narrow gap in the bricks. In the gap was a very narrow set of stairs. At the top of the stairs, Sakura pressed the doorbell next to a wooden door that was painted black.
After a few moments, Yamanaka Inoichi opened the door. His eyes widened at the sight of them.
Sakura and Momo, still standing hand-in-hand, were standing single file at the front of the group. Their mother was behind Momo and their father brought up the rear.
“Yamanaka-san!” Sakura said, unnaturally happy as always to see Ino’s father. The memories of what was-not-yet, and would-hopefully-never-be, ensured her eternal fondness of the Yamanaka clan in general and Inoichi in particular. Even if she could not trust Ino's dad, Sakura liked him. “Hi!”
“Good evening,” Sakura’s father said from his place in the back. “We’re dreadfully sorry for the unannounced visit but the matter is terribly important, if only for the sake of familial harmony - and possibly my sanity. May we come in?”
A smile twitched around Inoichi’s mouth. “Of course. Come in.”
As Sakura passed Inoichi, he handed her a key. She led her family up another set of narrow steps to a second black door which the key unlocked.
When Ino’s dad joined Sakura’s family in the mudroom, Sakura gave him the key back then he led them into the family’s living room.
Inoichi gravely accepted the gift that Sakura’s mother held out to him.
Sakura’s family kept a supply of small gifts to give on unexpected formal occasions. The wrapping paper on the box was a soft pink color with little blooming white roses curling across it.
Tea, Sakura thought. The good stuff from Land of Tea.
“We’re sorry to put you out this way,” her mother said as Ino’s father accepted the gift. “We just didn’t know who else to ask about this.”
“It’s fine,” Ino’s father said as he led the group into the family room. “Tea?”
“Oh no, we couldn’t possibly,” Sakura’s mother demurred as everyone claimed a seat. “It’s already so late and I’m sure you’d like to get on with your evening plans.”
“In that case, what can we help you with?” asked Inoichi.
There was a moment of uneasy silence as Sakura’s parents and sister stared at one another. Sakura focused on keeping quiet and not wiggling too much.
When Inoichi arched an eyebrow at her, Sakura flushed and stopped kicking her feet.
“I suppose the first question should be: who is…” Momo’s voice trailed off.
“Jiraiya-sama!” Sakura helpfully put in.
Inoichi stared for a moment as if shocked that her family did not know that name. When her sister shifted uncomfortably, he blinked and tilted his head.
“Jiraiya-sama is one of Hokage-sama’s three students. He’s also known as the Legendary Toad Sannin. He has been offered the position of Hokage several times but he has always turned it down. Instead, one of Jiraiya-sama’s students became Yondaime. He is one of the greatest ninja that this village has ever produced and a living legend. May I ask why you’ve developed a sudden interest in Jiraiya-sama?”
Sakura’s father sighed. Her mother’s shoulders drooped.
Momo tilted her lovely chin up ever so slightly and straightened her shoulders.
“Sakura says that Jiraiya-sama has offered her an apprenticeship. They would leave the day after tomorrow.”
The lines of Inoichi’s face went slack momentarily. Then he blinked once, long and slow, and his reaction was gone.
“Momo-neechan’s on my side but Mama and Papa don’t understand that this is a once in a lifetime chance!” Sakura blurted. “And school’s boring! I already know that stuff! And I really, really want to go Yamanaka-san!”
“It’s been a long time since I saw Jiraiya-sama,” Inoichi mused. “How did he look, Sakura-chan?”
“Like a pervert.”
Momo choked on her next breath. Her mother made a strangling noise. And her father choked on a huff of laughter.
Inoichi just grinned.
“What was his hair like? What was he wearing? Did he have any marks on his face?”
So Sakura closed her eyes and described the man that the toad had vomited up. She very carefully avoided any reference to Sandaime.
“And where did you find him?”
“On the woman’s side of the bathhouse. He was peeping.”
“Sakura!” Momo yelped. “You said you just found that disgusting frog!”
“Well, he’s a much better ninja than me,” Sakura said reasonably. “No way was I going to capture him. So I took his subordinate hostage. Remember? I told you that the frog was my cute little hostage.”
“We just thought you were being weird!” Momo briefly turned her attention to Inoichi, who was quietly laughing. “It was not little or cute. It was huge and disgusting and wet.”
“It was adorable. And I traded the frog summons for the apprenticeship. Also, I promised not to tell the kunoichi who were bathing there that he had been peeping.”
Momo made a noise like a strangled scream.
“The kunoichi - I was bathing there!” Her mother exploded. “Your sister was bathing there! He saw us naked!”
“And I kicked him for that. Twice. After he agreed to my apprenticeship.”
Sakura’s father had his face in his hands. His shoulders were silently shaking. Inoichi was openly grinning.
“Ah, Sakura-chan,” the older shinobi asked, “how did you keep the frog from escaping?”
“I told him that I’d make him watch me eat his legs if he tried.” Sakura shrugged. “I was out of chakra from finding and catching him.”
“Ah. Just - Give me a moment.” Inoichi disappeared into one of the inner rooms only to reappear a few minutes later with a paper and a very sharp pencil. “Ne, Sakura-chan, would you like to help me with this while I talk to your parents?”
“Sure!”
So Inoichi led Sakura to the kitchen where she sat at the table and very carefully worked on the worksheet. Some of the questions were geography or logic problems but most of them were math problems.
Sakura, who had always liked math, quite liked the worksheet. She worked on it, carefully showing her work for each problem and drawing and labeling maps where appropriate, while adult voices rose and fell in the other room. Sakura was nearly finished with question number seven when Inoichi Yamanaka and her parents came into the kitchen.
“How’s it going, Sakura-chan?”
“Nearly done,” she said as she drew a last line on her wobbly sketch of the problem’s described setup. She had yet to actually start the problem itself. “I’m on number seven.”
“Can I see your work so far?”
Sakura nodded and passed it back to Inoichi who sat down in the seat next to her and quickly graded her work.
“Very good, Sakura-chan,” he praised. “I think I can do the rest.”
“It’s time for us to go home now,” her mother said gently, despite the lines of strain on her face.
“Can I go with Jiraiya-sama?” Sakura asked hopefully. “Please. I’ll be so, so good!”
Her parents exchanged another glance.
“Yes,” said her mother. “We’ll see you off.”
“Thank you, Yamanaka-san!” Sakura yelped. She lunged at Ino’s father for a hug. He tensed then relaxed and caught her.
A quick hug for him then she was off to thank and hug her mother and Momo and father.
“I’ll see you on the day after tomorrow,” Yamanaka-san promised Sakura’s parents as he let the family out. “Good night.”
Sakura skipped most of the way home. When she got tired, her father carried Sakura the rest of the way home.
“Sakura!” hollered Momo’s voice the next morning. The overhead lights flicked on. “Wake up!”
“Nngh.” Sakura pulled her covers over her head. “Too bright.”
“Get up!” shouted Momo’s voice a few minutes later. “We have to get ready for your trip!”
Sakura tiredly sat up and rubbed her eyes. A quick look out of her curtains showed that the sun had not yet risen. The world outside of her room was still wonderfully dark and still.
It was Sakura’s favorite part of the day.
When she scrambled out of bed, Sakura noticed something strange.
Lying on the foot of her bed was a bright red pack with the Haruno clan symbol stitched into its flap, a bright red sleeping roll and pad both with the Haruno clan symbol on them, and a bright red canteen with the Haruno clan symbol etched into its side. They were wholly impractical for a sneaky kunoichi.
Sakura loved them instantly.
She raced down the stairs to hug everyone around the breakfast table.
“I love them and they’re wonderful and where did they come from?”
“The whole family was going to go on a trading trip,” her father admitted. “After the chunin exams ended and before your school year started up again, of course.” His smile was brittle around the edges as he added, “We never imagined your apprenticeship with Jiraiya-sama.”
“I know! Isn’t it wonderful?”
His smile faltered ever so slightly. “Yeah. Have you had any bacon?”
That day, something extraordinary happened. When her father left for the family’s shop, her mother went with him. Momo, armed with a list of supplies that Sakura would need and a money pouch, stayed home.
Her eyes gleaming with an unholy, shopping light, Momo made a fist and pumped it over her head.
“We shall go! We shall shop! We shall get amazing bargains!”
“Yes!” Sakura shouted, pumping her own, smaller fists over her head. “We’ll win!”
“Yes! And stomp the other side into the dirt!”
“They’ll eat it!”
“And learn to like it!”
“Yes!”
Pre-shopping victory chant completed, two Haruno girls stormed out to shop.
It was the sort of thing that Sakura knew that years later, when she was older and more jaded, she would make fun of Naruto and Team Gai for liking. But at seven years old, it was fun and inspiring. Sakura also knew that when she grew out of pre-shopping chants Momo would drop them entirely. Somehow, knowing that Momo was being goofy for her benefit made the silly ritual even better for Sakura.
The morning passed in a whirlwind of narrow-eyed inspection, faux disappointment, and ferocious haggling.
Momo really is the one best suited to running Dad’s business, Sakura thought happily as she watched her older sister upbraid the retired ninja who had tried to sell them a cheap, substandard cloak. The scars across his face were still pink and angry looking and he walked with an obvious limp. The fact that the ninja across the counter from them could probably snap Momo’s neck without even putting any effort into it in no way cowed Momo. Like most people who grew up in a shinobi village, she was blind to the scars, the limp, and the potential for violence.
Sakura only noticed the scars and limp because she wondered if he would have had them if Tsunade-shisho or Shizune-san had treated his injuries. She considered the violence thing - and decided that the shinobi across the counter was not the crazy, violent sort - because she was with Momo who would hopefully never know how crazy most shinobi were.
“It won’t even keep the water off of her,” Momo snapped as she waved the offending article of clothing about. On the counter between them lay the medical kit, hip pouch, shuriken holster, blank tags, a capped bottle of waterproof ink, brush, a box of rations bars, and braces of kunai, shuriken, and senbon that Sakura had picked out. She and Momo had thoroughly inspected the quality and craftsmanship of each item before it was added to their pile of goods. “My sister might die of a cold because you’re trying to increase a sale!”
Momo knew nothing about shopping for ninja gear, but she knew everything about shopping for apparel.
“The supplier said -”
“Suppliers lie! That’s why you have to check the goods for yourself!”
The man narrowed his eyes at Momo. “How would you like a job?”
Momo’s eyes widened. Then she sniffed and flipped her long, straight hair over her shoulder.
“I have one. I’m a member of the Haruno Trading House. I’m in charge of the inclement weather division.”
Sakura hid a smile behind her hand. While that was not entirely true, it was not exactly a lie either.
“I see. You’re drumming up business.”
“What? No! Just look at this stitching! My little sister could do better!”
“Hey!” cried an indignant Sakura. “Leave me out of it!”
Momo and the older ninja ignored her entirely.
“And this material is all wrong! It’ll retain rain water and make the cloak heavy and moldy.”
The ninja nodded seriously.
“I see. I see. My clan always assigned our clothing so I’ve never actually considered the effects of a particular fabric before.” He looked wistfully at the cloak. “What would it be good for then?”
“If the stitching were neater, it would be good for someplace very dry with cold nights. This material is very warm but terrible for Konoha’s rainy season.”
He regarded Momo for a moment.
“She’s leaving the village then,” he said with a nod at Sakura. It was an abrupt change in subject. “With her jonin-sensei?”
“Er…” Momo looked at Sakura for help.
“It’s an apprenticeship,” Sakura quickly supplied. “The first trip will be for approximately three weeks. We have to come back for the chunin exams.”
“How would you like something better than rations bars to eat?”
“I don’t have enough chakra to do any sealing,” Sakura said honestly.
The man grinned at her. It pulled against his scars and changed his expression into something awful.
“But you could activate one.”
“Well… yeah.”
“Then go buy some bento boxes and I’ll seal them into a scroll for you, free of charge, to thank your sis for her timely advice. And I’ll do your exploding tags.”
Momo flushed and smiled back shyly. “Thank you. We’ll - We’ll be right back.”
When they returned with a teetering stack of bento boxes, he happily sealed them into a scroll for Sakura. By the time he finished with the sealing he had introduced himself, agreed on a price with Momo for Sakura’s supplies, got the basic gist of an apparel contract with Momo, and wrangled a date with Momo for Friday night.
Momo was all blushes and smiles when they left the shop.
Sakura was happy for Momo. Momo had always enjoyed dating.
After lunch Momo bought a cloak for Sakura from the family’s trading books and then ripped the bottom seam out.
“This is just for emergencies,” Momo said as she began to sew ryo into the bottom hem. “I’ll do the same for your pack later. Mama’s setting up a personal account for you with the bank and that’ll be where your travel allowance will be. As long as you’re in Fire Country, you should have access to money. I suppose you’ll want to go say goodbye to your friends?”
Sakura nodded.
“Go find a basket for this and we’ll go.”
Momo sewed and listened while Sakura said her goodbyes one by one. Most of Sakura’s friends were from ninja families. They were happy for her if a bit sad about her going away. Naruto, however, was hurt and angry with her.
“Fine,” he snapped. “Go away and leave me here all alone.”
“Naruto-kun, I -”
“I don’t want to talk about it!” he shouted as he ran away from her.
Sakura dragged her sleeve across her eyes.
“Naruto-kun isn’t angry with you,” Momo said as her hand rubbed comforting circles into Sakura’s back. “He’s just worried about being alone again. And maybe about not being friends with you when you come back.”
“Why wouldn’t we be?”
“I don’t know. Kids worry about silly things. Don’t worry about it.”
“I don’t want Naruto-kun or Kakashi-kun to be lonely without me! Maybe I shouldn’t go! I could stay and -”
“You’re going to go on your Great Ninja Adventure,” Momo interrupted, her voice firm. “And you’re going to have fun and learn lots of new things. And when you come back, everything will be fine. Just - Just remember to write everyone letters. It’ll make things easier for everyone.”
“But I don’t have any paper,” Sakura sniffled. “Or envelopes. And I only know our address.”
“It’ll be fine. I’ll make sure that all of your letters get where they’re supposed to go.” Momo’s voice was bright when she added, “But we should definitely go buy some stationary for you!”
“After I say goodbye to Kakashi-kun and Tenzo-san and maybe Rin-chan if she’s back.”
Momo sighed. “If you want to.”
Sakura nodded. She took Momo to all of Kakashi’s favorite haunts - the stone, certain rooftops, and Yondaime’s head - before she took Momo to the jonin clubhouse. Sakura asked a jonin to see if Kakashi was inside.
She bounced on her toes when Tenzo came out to see her. But when she looked behind Tenzo there was no Kakashi.
Confused, Sakura stopped bouncing.
Tenzo beamed at Sakura.
“Hi, Sakura-san.” His eyes slipped over to Momo. Sakura watched, fascinated, as Tenzo’s face turned pink. He clumsily adjusted his forehead protector. Shyly he said, “Hi.”
His voice broke somewhere in the middle of the word. Tenzoo’s light blush darkened.
Momo giggled. She waved at Tenzo with the hand that Sakura was not holding. “Hi.”
Sakura, her smile so wide that it actually ached a bit at the corners, said, “We’re looking for Kakashi-kun.”
“He’s on a solo mission,” Tenzo said with a grimace. “You’ll be able to see him about three days from today.”
“I’m leaving tomorrow! I’m going on a trip with Jiraiya-sama! I won’t get to say goodbye to him or Rin-san!”
Tenzo’s eyebrows arched, his eyes darkened, and he stiffened but all he said was “Write him a letter.”
Sakura nodded. “I’ll do that.”
Tenzo nodded back then turned to go back inside.
Sakura stared after him, her eyebrows knitted into a frown and her mouth trembling.
Is he mad at me? Why? For leaving?
As far as she could remember Tenzo had never gotten mad at her for anything. Ever. In either timeline.
But he was short. And he never even asked me about Jiraiya-sama! Tenzo-san always asks questions about the stuff that I want to talk about! And he never hugged me! Tenzo-san always wants hugs. I don’t want Tenzo-san to be mad at me too!
Sakura’s eyes were watering and the world was a bright blur when Momo called, “Hey! Wait, Shinobi-san!”
Tenzo paused in his tracks. He turned to Momo. “Is there anything else I can I help you with?”
“Yeah. Uh, we’re looking for someone else. Maybe he’s in there too?” Her eyes darted to Sakura who was too busy sniffling wetly and rubbing her watering eyes with her fists to help Momo with anything. “I’m sorry. I don’t know his full name. Sakura just calls him ‘Tenzo-san’ or sometimes ‘my Tenzo-san’ so…”
Tenzo’s stiff expression melted into a sweet smile. His eyes, which had been dark and flat and empty, now sparkled with his delight.
“I’m him.”
Momo beamed. “That’s really handy.”
Tenzo looked at Sakura with soft eyes. He moved much closer to Sakura and Momo. When he offered Sakura a handkerchief, Sakura accepted it gratefully. She blotted her wet eyes and cheeks and blew her nose in it.
His smile was still hovering around his mouth when he asked, “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”
“Yeah!” Sakura nodded, unable to understand exactly what was going on except that Tenzo was mad at her but now he was happy again which made Sakura happier. “This is my Momo-neechan! Momo-neechan, this is Tenzo-san!”
“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Tenzo said with a courteous bow of his head.
Momo’s mouth stretched into a pleased smile.
“I’m really happy to meet you too,” she said warmly. “Sakura-chan says that you give the best hugs.”
Tenzo looked startled. His face went bright red again. “I - ah - that is -”
“Sakura-chan and I need to purchase some stationary so that she can write to everyone. I don’t suppose you know how to make a - er - seal.” Momo looked down at Sakura. “That’s what it’s called right? When things get smushed into words or a little symbol?”
Sakura nodded. “Uh, yeah. I mean, sealing is actually a branch of the ninja arts but most ninja can’t do more than that.”
“Really? It looks very useful.”
“It’s also very hard.” Sakura said with real feeling. She swiped a dry bit of the handkerchief across her cheeks and pocketed it. No one wanted their handkerchief to be returned while it was still dirty. “And tricky. Very, very tricky.”
Momo nodded, accepting that Sakura’s word for it.
Tenzo, who knew quite well that sealing was definitely not taught at the academy, looked at Sakura with sparks of interest in his expression.
All he said was, “I know enough to help Sakura-kun with her sealing. Did you need help packing anything else?”
His voice broke again and Tenzo blushed. Or maybe the blush was from Momo casually looping her arm through Tenzo’s.
“I’m not sure.” Momo said. Sakura could just see his bright red face past Momo’s shoulder. Tenzo-san sure blushes a lot around Momo-neechan. “Why don’t you listen to what we’ve been up to today and tell us if we’ve gotten everything that Sakura-chan needs? And, of course, you’ll know which inks are least likely to run in the rain.”
“O-Of course. I’d be happy to help.”
Happy, Sakura skipped as her sister made conversation with her friend.
* * * * *
Aghast, Jiraiya stared at the Yamanaka sitting across from him.
“You’re kidding.”
The Yamanaka at least had the good grace to look abashed.
“I know it’s a ridiculous claim since Sakura-chan’s still at the academy. But she’s very bright and her chakra control is amazing even if her chakra core is still underdeveloped so -”
“How could they not have heard of the Gallant Jiraiya? Of the Magnificent Toad Sannin?” Jiraiya leapt to his feet and struck one of his favorite kabuki poses. He had one foot balanced on the seat of his chair and the other on the edge of the table he had been sitting at. From somewhere behind him, old man Sarutobi sighed. Deeply. “How could they have not noticed a living legend?”
The Yamanaka coughed into his fist. “Sakura-chan’s family is civilian.”
Jiraiya’s stance wilted a bit. He returned his feet to the floor.
“Oh. Then it makes sense that they wouldn’t know much about shinobi. Did you tell them that I wrote the Icha Icha series?”
“They’re - er - very nice people,” the Yamanaka man said in strangled tones. “So - uh - no. They’d never even heard of it?”
The lilt in his voice turned that last sentence into a question.
There was a moment of thunderstruck silence.
Jiraiya literally felt the blood drain from his face.
“Can they even read?”
The idea that his newest student was so fierce and talented and determined despite coming from such a terrible, downtrodden and completely uninspiring background was so tragic that Jiraiya immediately swiped a brush, blank scroll, and ink bottle off of old man Sarutobi’s desk.
I’ve got to write this down for Icha Icha Academy!
The old man’s coughing fit sounded suspiciously like a laughing jag. The Yamanaka, who was facing away from Jiraiya, was making strangled gasping sounds. His shoulders were shaking.
Jiraiya nobly ignored them both. One had to overlook things like that when one was universally agreed to be gallant.
“I’m pretty sure that they can,” the Yamanaka said when he had control of his allergies again. His expression was very straight. “They’re also very good at numbers. They’re merchants.”
“Oh. Well, that explains it.” Jiraiya said absently as he sketched out his heroine’s profile. He used ‘Sakurako’ as a placeholding name until he could think of something else to call the leading lady. “What was that you said about her being very intelligent?”
“Sakura-chan has been friends with my daughter since the first day of general education so I’ve been observing her for quite awhile,” the Yamanaka said. “She learned tree walking before she started at the academy.”
Jiraiya put down his pen. He watched as the Yamanaka pulled a crumpled sheet of paper out of one of his kunai pouches. He could nearly feel his old teacher’s sudden interest in his new student. What had been an old fool’s whim to indulge a child’s demands was suddenly something with a great deal more potential.
For himself, Jiraiya was determined to be more cautious with his hopes.
He had already been cruelly disappointed by fate twice before.
“When her family came to ask me about you, I gave Sakura the rough draft for this year’s paper and pencil portion of my clan’s genin exam. I didn’t expect anything. I was just trying to distract her. It took her nearly two hours to work her way through six and a half problems but her answers are correct.”
The Yamanaka put the paper on the table and slid it over to Jiraiya.
While Jiraiya studied the childish handwriting, wobbling lines and occasionally highly questionable logic on the paper he was holding, Sarutobi asked, “What is your impression of her abilities?”
The Yamanaka hesitated.
“Everyone knows that the Sharingan copies what it sees perfectly and down to the last detail,” he said at last. “Sakura’s mind is like an anti-Sharingan. She remembers everything that she reads or experiences but she can’t steal the details of a technique or chakra flows just from watching. She thinks about it, experiments, and takes it apart. When she thinks she understands it, she takes what she likes from it and figures out ways to counter or improve on the rest.”
“That’s a very sophisticated thought process for such a little girl,” hummed Sarutobi.
“That’s what she does not what she thinks. Sakura-chan just does things that interest her. She figured out how to tree walk when one of my clan’s genin teased the kids by putting their ball into a tree without any low branches. After Choza let the girl into his clan’s training grounds, she took up medical jutsu.” Jiraiya looked up from the girl’s busy work. The lines of the Yamanaka’s face were very earnest as he said, “I didn’t go far into her mind but from what I experienced her mind feels like any other child’s mind. She’s frighteningly intelligent, of course, but she’s still just a little girl.”
Sarutobi hummed noncommittally. “I think I’d like to speak with her homeroom instructor at the academy. And review her school records, of course.” Sarutobi leaned forward, across his desk to say, “I know it’s an unorthodox use of your work time but I’d rather this stayed between the three of us. Would you mind fetching the teacher and the records for me?”
The Yamanaka inclined his head. “Of course, Hokage-sama.”
“Thinking about stealing my new student?” Jiraiya teased his old teacher when the other man as gone.
“Her abilities are unnatural for a civilian.”
“They’re improbable but not impossible. Nothing’s impossible,” Jiraiya argued, using one of Minato’s favorite phrases. “She’s probably just a genius. And that’s fine. The clans can’t produce all of our heroes.”
“That little girl is not Minato-san,” Sarutobi said sharply.
“She isn’t Orochimaru, either!” Jiraiya snapped.
There was nothing more to say after that.
Sarutobi worked on his neverending paperwork.
Jiraiya scribbled reports on the information he had turned up while he was away (and snuck notes onto his character sheets for Sakurako and Gin of Icha Icha Academy).
When the Yamanaka man returned, it was with a young chunin-level instructor in tow. The teenager had brown hair, kind brown eyes, a serious expression and a scar across the bridge of his nose. There was a thick folder wedged under one arm.
He looked exactly like what an academy teacher should look like in Jiraiya’s opinion.
“Yes, Hokage-sama?”
“Aaahhhh, Iruka-sensei. My student has tentatively taken on a new student,” Sandaime said genially. While the old man could be genuinely friendly, Jiraiya knew when the friendliness was for show. Right there was a Hokage trying to put a subordinate at ease - the better to discreetly pump him for information. “And he thought he might like to take a look at her school records.”
“Haruno Sakura?” There was a faint note of disbelief in the young man’s voice.
“Do you have an objection?” Sarutobi asked.
“No… Not exactly. She’s very intelligent and has amazing chakra control but… well… she’s a handful.” The chunin said as he passed Jiraiya the folder. “Her chakra core is still too underdeveloped for a genin’s assignments or I’d recommend her for early graduation. Individualized lessons under a master might be best for her.”
Jiray blinked - then smirked.
“She hasn’t been to school for an entire day - muchless for two days in a row - in nearly nine weeks.”
Iruka flushed.
“Yeah. She’s very good at sneaking out of the school. She can walk on the ceilings, muffle, mask, and suppress her chakra and she hides in the shadows.” Jiraiya felt his interest in the kid pick up. “Sealing tags put a damper on her activities toward the end of the year but,” the academy instructor shrugged, his hands open at his sides, “she still gets out. She’s a handful. And her family is uninterested in her academics or her growth as shinobi. Honestly, I’ve been trying to think how to coax her into attending properly next year.”
“Any other interesting abilities?” Sandaime asked.
“Her stealth and tracking skills are developing rapidly. And she seems to have a natural talent for medical jutsu. She can use the mystical palm technique to heal minor injuries.”
Sandaime’s eyes narrowed. “Who taught her?”
The academy instructor shrugged restlessly. “She says that she taught herself.”
Sarutobi humphed.
“Since the academy wasn’t taking up her time, I suppose,” Jiraiya drawled as he fished out a packet of papers. He casually rifled through the packet to discover that it had completed final exams for each of the year levels.
“Yes,” Iruka said, sounding terribly embarrassed. “I’d honestly be relieved if you took her on.”
Jiraiya lost the thread of the conversation while he inspected the tests but he had the general impression that they were discussing the girl’s academic abilities. Jiraiya was far more interested in her answers to the questions regarding the Shinobi Handbook.
Sakura had not just answered them incorrectly. She had been spectacularly, defiantly, unrepentantly and completely wrong in the best way possible.
“Listen to this, old man,” Jiraiya said, carelessly interrupting the others. “The question tells the reader to write and explain rule number four. My student -” It was so odd to say those words without the word ‘former’ separating them. Jiraiya relished the change. “- wrote: The rule is that a shinobi must always put the mission first. This rule should be ignored because it is wrong and stupid.”
Iruka flushed. He looked unutterably embarrassed. The Yamanaka bit back a smile. Sarutobi huffed. His teeth clenched on his pipe stem. Jiraiya kept reading.
“Konohagakure is a family. Missions are for the village’s money. No one should put getting money for their family over their family’s lives. People in your family are more important than missions. They should be protected. It’s best of all to save your teammates and then save the mission. The end.”
“I swear I didn’t -”
Sarutobi waved his hand at the younger man. “I know.”
“Listen to this one,” Jiraya said. “The question asks the student to define the word ‘mission.’ A mission is putting one person or a squad of people in danger for something that the whole village wants or needs. Sometimes you have to put one person or one squad in danger to protect the rest of the family. A good ninja can’t be careless and throw her comrades away. But she can’t be so careful that she tries to do all the fighting herself and leaves everyone behind. Everyone has to stick together and work hard to finish a mission. The End.”
That was the wrong answer. And a kid as smart as Sakura had to know that when she took the exam.
This new kid was nothing like his other ones - not the ones from Konoha or the ones from Ame - but like his previous students, she had a spark all her own. And she quite obviously possessed uniquely twisted definitions for ‘village’ and ‘family’ to boot.
They’d like her, Jiraiya decided again. The idea filled him with warmth. This was one of my better ideas.
“I assigned her Hokage-sama’s treatise on the shinobi’s handbook.” Iruka said apologetically. “She’s been dragging it everywhere with her lately.”
Jiraiya winced. The last person to actually read ‘The Annotated and Explained Shinobi’s Handbook’ was probably Hatake Kakashi and it was pretty obvious how much good that did him.
After his initial reaction came the laughter.
He remembered girly magazines hidden inside of his anatomy textbooks and romance novels that found their way into Tsunade’s genjutsu textbooks and the flare of triumph in Sakura’s pale eyes when he agreed to teach her.
There’s no way that’s what she’s actually reading. The person who wrote these answers isn’t going to care about what’s in the Shinobi Handbook, even if it’s annotated or explained.
Iruka and Sarutobi both looked mildly offended. The Yamanaka just looked confused.
Jiraiya rolled up his character scroll, capped his borrowed bottle of ink, and tossed the kid’s informal assessment test at Sarutobi. His old teacher caught the rolled up packet of papers with a deftness that belayed his age.
“I’ll be back,” Jiraiya promised before he made his grand exit from one of the old man’s windows.
The mystery of my student’s illicit reading materials cannot wait!
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