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Konoha Children's Crusade Chapter 30 part 2

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Sai listened to Sakura recap as she greedily slurped down noodles. She ended up being a lot hungrier that she thought she was. “... So that’s it basically... Tsunade’s not going to do a single thing. She doesn’t think what we have is good enough.” She used her chopsticks to pick through the chicken pieces floating in her udon bowl. After a moment she let them fall with a plunk. “Sai,” Sakura said carefully. “You’ve been a big help, but if you have other stuff to do... just go and do it. I don’t want to waste any more of your time on... this.”

Sai pulled a long stalk of watercress up from his broth and eyed it carefully before nibbling on the end. “Actually, I’m rather enjoying myself... all things considered.” He paused while he chewed and swallowed. “It’s a welcome distraction. I feel like I am in a detective novel.”

“I thought you only read self help books?”

Sai smiled. “Usually yes...  but in ‘Make Yourself into a More Interesting Person in Fifty Days’ the author recommended branching out into areas outside your comfort zone. He said that going into areas that you don’t usually frequent would broaden your horizons.” He picked up a long noodle and sucked it down. “So I decided to try a mystery novel.”

“Really?” asked Sakura lightly. “Which one? Was it one of the classics?”

Sai nodded. “Make-out Dark and Stormy Night. I borrowed it from Kakashi-Sensei. It was quite titillating.”

Sakura winced. “Sai... I don’t think that any of the ‘Make-out’ series could be considered a ‘classic’.”

Sai’s face fell. “But Kakashi-sensei said they were the greatest books ever written.”

“As far as mysteries go... No. As far as graphic descriptions of mammary glands go... probably.”

Sai nodded. “It did seem odd that the hero of the story was so very descriptive on the subject.”

Sakura smiled. “Well it does happen to be Kakashi-sensei’s literary niche.” She picked up her bowl and drank down some of the broth before absentmindedly adding, “Oh and Sai? Just to warn you in advance... If you’re thinking it’s okay to make comments about my breast size because you ‘read about it in a book’ I’ll clobber you into the middle of next week.”

“Ah,” said Sai very carefully. “Thank you for the warning.” He opened his mouth to say something and then shut it again very quickly.

“Is everything okay?” Sakura asked as Sai got up carefully from the counter.

“Oh… Yes,” he said with a firm waxy smile. “I just... need to visit the restroom.”

Sakura turned back to the counter and resumed methodically chewing her meal. She couldn’t believe she had snapped at Tsunade-sama like that… It had to be the lack of sleep… and the stress... mustn’t forget the stress she was under.

From the depths of her mind, her inner Sakura stirred. “It’s not the stress,” she chanted in a child-like sing song voice. “You’re still hoping Sasuke will smile up at you, say ‘Good job Sakura-chan! I always knew I could depend on you!’

God… there was no escaping it. Even her brain couldn’t grasp the fact that she was over him. She continued picking through her noodles, barely registering that someone had just sat down at the lunch counter next to her.  Where was all the legendary strength everyone assumed she had? How pathetic could one person be?

“Good afternoon,” said the proprietor of the lunch counter with an odd note of anxiety in his voice. “I am honored that you would choose to visit my humble establishment, Shimura-sama.”

Sakura whipped her head around, only to find herself caught in the laser like focus of Eri Shimura. “Yes… I’m sure you are,” the woman said offhandedly.

The proprietor swallowed audibly and held forth a menu card with shaking hands. “May I recommend… the special?” His eyes kept flicking to the quintet of heavy set shinobi who were glaring suspiciously at anyone who approached the shop.

“You certainly may not,” the councilor for the Shimura clan said primly. “In fact… I do believe that it is almost time for your break… is it not?” She cast a single glance at the shop owner, who suddenly paled to the point it looked like he might faint. The man gave a quick bow and scampered away.

Sakura rose to leave as well, but as she scraped her stool back, the five shinobi surrounding the lunch counter tensed. Sakura looked quickly at each of them in turn, and then slowly sat back down. “If you attack me… The Hokage will hear of it,” Sakura said with a growl.

Eri gave her a half-smile, the sort one might show to a difficult child threatening a tantrum. “What do you take me for Haruno-san? A common thug? Give me some credit please… I just want to have a nice little private chat with you that is all.” She gestured magnanimously at Sakura's udon bowl. “Please, feel free to continue eating.”

Sakura forced herself to glare back at the lean faced woman. “A chat? Really? I can’t think of a single thing in common we would have to talk about.”

“Hm,” hummed Eri with a nod. “Not even the horrible things that Sasuke Uchiha could have lived through that would, no doubt, change my opinion of him? I might be very interested in hearing about those.”

Sakura turned back to her bowl of udon, but kept her eyes on the Shimura woman. “I’m sure you’d love to… all the more information you could use to build your case against Sasuke.”

Eri Shimura giggled behind a delicate hand. “Oh my, you think I need information to build a case against him? My dear, Sasuke has set the popular opinion against himself so thoroughly that if I wanted to see him executed this very day, I doubt I would even have to lift a finger. I don’t fear the Uchiha.”

“Then why did you try to capture him at the main gate?”

Eri gave a small sigh and folded her hands demurely in her lap. “I do so worry that you are talking the actions of my younger and rather more impetuous brother more personally than you should. He is… let us be frank here…. quite the idiot at times, more so when he sees the opportunity for fame and glory at hand. He has the horrible habit of allowing his actions to be tinted by his emotion. The rest of the Shimura clan is not like that. There is the clan honor to maintain, true, but some of us like to keep an eye on more… practical matters.” She paused and waited to see Sakura’s reaction. When none was forthcoming, she produced a closed fan from the folds of her obi. “I was hoping,” she said delicately, “that perhaps the pair of us might be able to reach an understanding.”

“What sort of understanding?”

Eri opened her fan with a snap and began wafting air towards her face. “Tsunade has been an… adequate Hokage, has she not? It’s such a shame her tenure seems to be nearing its end.”

“Only because you and your brother are trying for a power grab!” Sakura snapped.

Again the half smile crossed Eri’s face. “I see that while the Fifth Hokage taught you much in the way of medicine, she neglected to show you anything about the role subtlety plays in politics,” she said with an exasperated sigh. “Very well, I shall be blunt. The base of power in Konoha is changing. You would be wise to seek new mentors... new friends who could protect you in turbulent times such as these.”

“And these new friends would be the Shimura clan I suppose?”

Again, Eri gave her that patronizing smile. “Perhaps… of course we of the Shimura clan don’t give our friendship away lightly… although sometimes we can be convinced.”

“I will never betray Tsunade-sama’s trust!” Sakura snarled.

Eri laughed, a dry hollow sound. “Oh dear, betrayal? You misunderstand me girl. I am merely asking for a few small trifles. Perhaps a few words, the quick report of who enters and leaves the Hokage’s presence.” Eri paused and looked up sharply. “The possession of a few old letters that the Hokage herself has deemed worthless.”

Sakura held her breath. How did the damned woman know? How did she always know? “ It wouldn’t be that hard,” Eri continued. “All you would have to do would be to go and fetch them… perhaps, with all the troubles weighing down on your mind you might, understandably, accidentally leave them here on the counter.” She folded her fan again with a snap. “Such a small price to pay for peace and security is it not?”

“You can’t scare me with your threats,” said Sakura coldly.

“Threats? Oh my dear, I wasn’t threatening you! Goodness no!” Eri gently tapped the fan against her chin. “You Mother and Father are retired shinobi correct? Living a peaceful life in the village?”

There was a brief pulse of cold fear that tore icily through her. “You will leave my parents alone! If you lay a hand on them I’ll… I’ll kill you!”

Eri again smiled. “My dear, I have no idea what you are talking about… I would not dream of raising my hand against your parents.”

The Shimura woman paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. “Let me tell you a story my dear…”

“I don’t need to hear anything you might say.”

“Oh but I’m sure you’ll appreciate this… It’s part of the history of Konoha,” Eri gave Sakura a knowing smile, “I have heard that you are quite interested in history… such an inquisitive girl, not content to let the past lie.”

“Roughly a generation before the Hidden Leaf was officially founded, there was another attempt to start a village amongst the shinobi clans in this valley. The Uchiha and the Senju clans had between them conquered the vast majority of the other peoples living here, and were butting up against each other. At a military stalemate, and at the incessant urging of their clan’s two youngest and most charismatic war leaders, the two factions decided to try to make a peace.”

“There was a great meeting as the clans, the Senju, the Uchiha and all who swore fealty to them, came together, to discuss, to plot and to make alliances. Many clans brought their young with them, and that was the first mistake they made, for among them were Gin Uchiha and Inari Shimura, two youngsters known more for their pretty faces than their brains.” Eri smiled softly. “Although some more romantic than I have called them love struck innocents.”

“Anyway, they met at the gathering and fell in love, and soon afterwards the prize maiden beauty of the Shimura clan was showing ample evidence that she was anything but. Gin was deeply smitten with the girl and knowing his clan would never accept her, resolved to go and live with the Shimura clan.”

“As you can imaging the head of the Uchiha clan was furious! These actions of Gin’s were unconscionable! One night as Inari was in her eighth month, the head of the Uchiha clan led his strongest warriors in an assault on the Shimura compound. Hoping to prevent slaughter, Gin went out to met with his father, who promptly had the boy imprisoned. Then he proceeded to lay siege to the Shimura castle.”

“His demand was simple, hand Inari over to the Uchiha clan. The sharingan belonged to Uchiha and the Uchiha alone. When he heard that the babe had been borne, they assaulted the fortress killing all who resisted, when they reached the nursery they tortured Inari to point out her child, but she remained silent till the end. The Uchiha ended up slaughtering every newborn they could find.”

“I suppose you’re telling me this to prove some point about the inherent cruelty in the Uchiha?” Sakura said testily.

Eri laughed. “Goodness no! Actually, given the circumstance, I would have expected nothing less! Bloodline preservation, my dear girl! No self respecting Uchiha would ever dream of willingly diluting their Kekkei Genkai. The point of my story is what the Senju clan did the next day at the treaty negotiation.”

“Which was?”

“Absolutely nothing!” Eri leaned forward.  “And that my girl, is all you will ever need to know about your precious Hokage, her clan, and how they repay loyalty… Why trouble yourself with the lives of others and innocents, when you have the greater good within reach? The Senju elders decided to look the other way and continue negotiating for a homeland.” Eri studied Sakura’s face carefully. “Ironically it was an Uchiha who granted the Shimura clan the gift of justice. It was Gin you see... when he heard what had happened to his love, he slew his guards and broke out of his prison cell. Legend says marched right up to the negotiating table where his father and the Senju clan heads were seated. He took one look at them and whispered ‘you killed her’. If you believe the tale, he then transformed into a demon burning with pale blue fire before exploding, killing nearly all the major heads of the clans.”

“A Susano’o?” asked Sakura, interested despite herself.

Eri shrugged. “Possibly, or some incomplete version of it. I have heard that both Madara and Izuna Uchiha were present at this meeting, so perhaps that was where they first learned of the potential for the Susano’o technique. At any rate, undoubtedly, the power vacuum left by the death of the clan chieftains cleared the way for both the two aforementioned young war leaders, Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju to ascend to power in their respective clans.” Eri laughed coldly. “Even after all the cruelty and treachery Hashirama witnessed from the Uchiha clans, he still made peace with them… Time after time as they betrayed and attacked and rebelled… he still gave ground… all for his dream.” She settled back on her seat and turned away from Sakura. “All for this faint dream of peace... Do you understand yet why I am telling you this?”

“You're trying to convince me that Tsunade-sama is untrustworthy.”

Eri giggled. “Untrustworthy? My dear, she has already abandoned you to the wolves! This farce of an ‘open mandate’. Sending you forth to do her dirty work… to take the danger and the pressure of the times off of her... And to take the blame when you fail. She is a politician through and through.” Eri Shimura relaxed a little, smiling at Sakura, trying to appear friendly. ”She’s trying to stir up the situation. She is using you to create chaos, to create an opportunity… You should ask your Nara friend what the official name is for shogi pieces that are used to create an opening, an opportunity.  If you would just open your eyes you would see this. It’s time to find a clan who appreciates you… who’s willing to protect you, not throw you out there with only some sketchy mandate for their own benefit.”

Sakura felt her jaw ripple with anger. Part of her rage was directed at Eri, how dare she insinuate that Tsunade was using her! Another part was directed at a small whispering voice from deep inside Sakura’s own head that wondered if Eri was right. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said stiffly. “Tsunade treats me with nothing but respect!”

“You are certain about that?” said Eri quietly. “Idealism can be an admirable trait, but it is easy to lose sight of the reality of the situation… and I’m afraid my dear, that in the world of politics, such situations can turn on their heads so very very quickly… just ask Tsunade-sama.”

“I want you to leave… Now!” barked Sakura.

Eri reached out and gently touched Sakura on the wrist. “It is a difficult decision, You may want to think carefully about the choice you are about to make. Saying things in the heat of the moment can only lead to regret.”

Sakura slapped her hand away and stared at her, full of bravado. “I would rather die than betray Tsunade-sama!”

The Shimura woman stood slowly, her a flicker of icy wrath crossing her features before dissolving into a frown of feigned disappointment. “It appears you were correct my dear, we really did have nothing to discuss.” Eri rose delicately from her stool, her kimono folding itself around her, perfectly creased. “Oh, before I go,” she said, as if she had just remembered something. “One small piece of advice Haruno-san… In this shinobi world... dying is the least of the horrors that can happen.” Eri smiled sweetly, and walked away in a whisper of silk.

Sai returned, walking stiffly. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists. “What do you think? I’ve just had my whole family threatened in the most indirect way possible… The Shimura clan knows about, and wants Mikoto's letters.” She opened her eyes and glared at Sai. “And where were you hiding this whole time? I could have used some back up!”

I’m so sorry,” he muttered. “I… saw them there and… I was watching you really, but it didn’t seem overly threatening , so I just decided to hang back and see what happened.”

Sakura groaned and calmed down some. Of course Sai would misinterpret everything. “It’s all right,  just next time, feel free to barge right in… okay?” She picked up her chopsticks and quietly resumed eating. She wasn’t in any mood to talk, and it seemed neither was Sai. This suited her just fine. It gave her a chance to calm down. They spent the next ten minutes or so eating in silence.

Sakura scraped out the last of her udon bowl and set it on the lunch counter with a clink. “Okay...  so the big question is where do we go from here?” she grumbled to herself.

“Well,” answered Sai. “We have a set of letters mailed from one dead woman to another... We have the Hokage who will not act... and we have Sasuke who will not talk... Although he did seem slightly interested in talking to you, did he not?”

“If that was true yesterday morning, it sure isn’t the case now. Sasuke’s made it quite clear he doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

“Oh? He said that to your face?” asked Sai curiously.

“He called me annoying,” Sakura muttered darkly.

Sai slipped one of his hands into his pockets and pulled out a thin book. “Annoying was it? That doesn’t seem so bad.”

Sakura sighed. “It’s... well... when we were younger, he used to call me annoying all the time.”

“Like a pet nickname?” Sai began paging through the book.

“He only used to use it when he was upset with me,” said Sakura flatly, “So no... not like a pet nickname.”

“Hmmm... So what was it that made him upset at you this time?”

Sakura shook her head. “Because he’s being an idiot and won’t admit it! He’s refusing to help himself at all. It’s like he just wants to have this Kabuto fight thing and that’s the only thing left that matters.”

“Ah,” said Sai running his finger down a page. “So he’s latched onto a single goal again. Only this time he’s preoccupied with Kabuto instead of Itachi.”

Sakura shrugged. “It seems like it.”

“Odd... I wonder why? I wonder why he feels he needs to revenge himself on Kabuto?” asked Sai quietly.

Sakura raised her eyebrows. “What? Revenge?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Sasuke is an obsessive. When he sets his mind to something, he does it at the expense of all other things. We know that in the past, he felt he had a compulsory duty to kill Itachi... Assuming that Mikoto Uchiha’s letters are truthful, it looks like Konoha was at least partially to blame for the situation the Uchiha found themselves in... and then, Sasuke becomes fixated on destroying the Hidden Leaf village... Now there is Kabuto.” Sai looked up at Sakura. “And, as you have pointed out, Kabuto is looming large in his mind... even to the exclusion of his own well being... I wonder what Kabuto did to him?”

“Who knows?” muttered Sakura. “But... I mean.. Sasuke being like that... ‘obsessed’ as you say... that’s nothing new, he’s always been driven to the point where he pushes people away.”

“And yet you said he seemed to be opening up to you at some point?” Sai leafed through a few more pages. “Would you say he was trying to be polite?”

Sakura toyed with her chopsticks a little. “I guess so... But it wasn’t like he was telling me anything useful.”

“I think you make him nervous,” said Sai closing the book with a snap.

Sakura couldn’t help but laugh. “Nervous? Sai... He’s one of the strongest shinobi in the world. I’m no threat to him! Why would he be nervous around me?”

“Maybe he likes you?”

The moment those words sank into Sakura’s mind, the very air seemed to crystallize around her. She sat there, very still, with her heartbeat hammering in her ears. “No,” she said once she found her breath. She followed it with a skeptical chuckle. “That’s impossible.”

“Why not?” asked Sai curiously. “He is displaying all the classic symptoms listed in here,” he said holding up the book, “Arrogance... Mood swings... Feigning disinterest... Occasional threats of violence...”

“Oh Sai,” she groaned in an exasperated tone, grabbing the book out of his hand, “What are you reading now?” Her eyes skimmed the cover. “How to Play (and win at) the Game of Romance by Jiraiya the Sanin.” Sakura made a disgusted noise deep in her throat. “I swear, sometimes it seems like he wrote every other book in this village! Sai... Why are you reading this?”

Sai nodded. “He was very prolific wasn’t he?” Sai cleared his throat. “After my most recent difficulty with Ino... I decided that I needed to brush up on... well... my romantic skills.”

Sakura had heard all about Ino and Sai’s three week long dating stint. Ino had summed it up with ‘It started out great and then... it got weird... and then it got dull... but finally... well...it turned into a disaster.”

“Yeah... well Ino isn’t exactly the most...” Sakura started.

“Oh I know,” said Sai. “It was all my fault. At first, she was happy that I brought her flowers, but when I brought her flowers every day, she complained that I wasn’t being spontaneous enough. Then the chocolates were making her too fat and then all we ever did was go out to eat and go for walks... Eventually she told me that it wasn’t working out.”

“Well that’s because you kept trying to do the same thing all the time.”

Sai nodded. “I was following what I believed to be the standard model for a good relationship... Unfortunately, I was unaware that a relationship needs to ebb and flow like the tides.. otherwise it feels unnatural.  At least according to Jiraiya-sama.”

“Sai?” asked Sakura, annoyed, “What does this have to do with your theory that Sasuke likes me?”

“I’m getting there.” He opened the book and began to read. “Often times when one first discovers love, there will be this elaborately choreographed dance of alternately fixating on  the object of one’s affection to the point where it grows awkward and foolish, coupled with teasing and tormenting the same person in order to convince yourself that you are not already trapped with no escape.”

Sakura looked down at the lunch counter. “I’m pretty sure he’s talking about school kids.”

“Please, let me finish,” said Sai. He turned a page and continued reading, “You may think that I am referring only to relationships between young children on the Academy playground... But what was as true then is true now. There will always be the testing of bounds in a relationship. The most difficult strain of love is the unrequited kind. It starts pure like all others, but then it builds resentment and longing. Obsession alternates with denial. If you are lucky it can be tempered with alcohol and carefree, loose pairings... if you are unlucky it wraps itself into a loop that builds animosity and can harden what’s left of one’s heart.”

“While that’s very poetic Sai,” muttered Sakura. “I’m pretty sure Sasuke is not obsessing over me. The fact of the matter, is he doesn’t want to see me.”

“That’s strange,” said Sai. “It seemed to me that aside from Naruto and the Hokage, you were one of the three people in Konoha he was interested in talking to directly.”

“Yeah, well that was before. Sasuke doesn’t trust me at all now. He told me to get lost.”

“Really? asked Sai. “Those were the exact words he used?”

“Well... no,” said Sakura. “But like I said he called me annoying though.”

There was a long pause. “Sakura,” Sai said very reluctantly. “I am only telling you this because I am your friend.” He took in a big shuddering breath and continued. “In the interest of full disclosure... sometimes... you are annoying… and very much so... Please don’t hit me.”

Sakura clenched her jaw. “Did you have a point to all this Sai?”

“Mmm,” said Sai with a nod, relaxing once it was clear he wasn’t going to get punched. “Sasuke has always had a very direct nature. If he wanted you to leave him alone, he would have come right out and said so.”

“So?”

“So? He only called you annoying. There is a huge difference. We should go talk to him.”

Sakura sat very still, torn between wanting to be stubborn and the persistent nagging need to solve this puzzle. (The fact that she would have to go see Sasuke again had absolutely nothing to do with it.) “I... need to think about that.” She shook her head. “You are way off base with this liking me theory. He hasn’t seen me in years. The few times we’ve met since he abandoned the village, he’s tried to kill me. Maybe we should just stay away”

Sai nodded. “Maybe then you should consider this... Right now, you are one of the few people he has voluntarily shared anything about himself with, other than, I assume, Naruto. While everyone else was telling Sasuke what a horrible person he was, you said he waited and purposefully asked you what your opinion of him was before he turned around to leave. Finally,” said Sai, reaching out to tap the haversack that contained Mikoto’s letters, “we have with us one of the very last things his mother wrote... Even if he doesn’t want to talk to us at first, don’t you think we have a duty to let him see what his dear mother had to say?”

*******
Chapter Thirty, part two of the fan novel Konoha Children's Crusade

Naruto Characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

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