Sasori wasn't the type to get confused. Ever. But sitting in a meeting for two hours while Pein, no—Yahiko, talked about plans he had never even heard of before really could throw someone in a loop. Yahiko discussed about finances and the new jobs the organization would be receiving, but he said absolutely nothing concerning the bijuu. So once the meeting came to an end and the rest of the Akatsuki members filed out of the room, Sasori approached his leader.

"Pei—Yahiko-sama, could I ask your opinion on something?"

Yahiko frowned while Konan curiously turned her attention to the conversation.

"... Go ahead."

"This is a purely hypothetical question, but if you ever had the option to capture all nine of the tailed beasts and use their power for your own desire and will, would you?" he asked. Yahiko stared at him for a long moment, his face devoid of any emotion.

"Have you gone mad?"

Sasori raised his hands in defense. "Like I said, hypothetical question. Would you do it?"

"Of course not," he answered immediately. "If that type of power fell into the wrong hands, do you know what kind of damage it would cause to the people? Terrible, horrible amounts. People who don't deserve it certainly shouldn't receive it."

"Ah, I see. Good day, then, P—Yahiko-sama," Sasori bid before leaving the room. Yahiko's brown eyes burned into his subordinate's back even after he had left the room. Konan walked up to her partner, an uncharacteristic worrisome twinge in her eyes.

"Do you think Sasori-san found out about him?"

"I wouldn't put it past him, but should've been highly improbable. No one could know who he is. For now... we'll watch him. He's been a curious case these last few weeks, anyways."

::

Sakura was standing in a weapon's shop with sweat and dirt matting every inch of her visible self. She had just finished subjecting herself to hours of push ups, crunches, punching and running up trees in Training Ground 44. She would've come to the weapon shop earlier in the day, but she spent the later portion of her training session wrestling an enormous centipede to the ground and tearing off its head.

Stupid bastard shouldn't have messed with her.

Now she was perusing the shelves of the weapon shop looking for a weapon that suited her fighting style. Aside from kunai and senbon, which she bought in bulk a week prior with the money she won in bar bets (in henge form, of course), she needed a special weapon she could utilize on the battlefield. Sakura never really found a weapon for herself in the other life due to the fact that she never had the time, but she was determined to find something doable this time.

Swords were out of the question. She never seemed to handle them well and tended to show her clumsiness when she handled them. She needed something that moved along with her body smoothly and efficiently. After all, she was more rounded for taijutsu than anything else. At the corner of the shop, Sakura found something she could work with. Retractable wrist blades. She took them off the shelf and brought them to the counter.

"Afternoon, little lady. You look a bit roughed up. Tough day?"

She smiled at him. "You could say that. How much for the blades, oji-san?"

"2,500 ryo. How are the senbon and kunai I sold you some time ago?"

"Great, actually. You really have good wares at this store."

Sakura pulled out her wallet from her pants pocket only to frown when she opened it. Crisp bills that added up to 2,000 stared back up at her. She almost sighed. Looks like she'd have to go back to those bars and hustle more of those—

"Here you go. 2,500."

A hand extended over Sakura's head with the right amount of money in its grip. Sakura quickly turned around, recognizing the long gone voice, and stared up at her savior. Shiranui Genma grinned down at her with that signature senbon hanging from his lips.

"You didn't need to do that. Seriously," she said. "I mean, I really appreciate it but 2,500 ryo is way too much to pay for a stranger!"

Genma waved her off. "Nah, it's no big deal," he said. He set down a pack of senbon on the counter for the cashier to ring up. Sakura's eyes widened.

"No, it is a big deal! Look, I'll pay you back tom—"

"Not necessary, kid. Think of it as a gift from a generous benefactor." He winked at her, paid for his senbon, and walked out the door. Without a moment's haste, Sakura swiped her blades off the countertop, bid the shop-keep good day, and ran out of the door to catch up with Genma.

"Hold on a minute!"

He slowed his step and waited for her to catch up, musing at the fact that her feet made no sound as she ran. Sakura momentarily forgot that she was caked in filth and stared at him with dead set eyes.

"I don't like owing debts, Shinobi-san."

If he had any sort of surprise, he didn't show it. Quietly, he studied the grime that clung to her like a second skin and took the blades he bought for her in consideration.

"Tell you what. If I ever need a single favor, just one, I'll let you know and we'll be even. Sound good?" Genma offered. He spit into his hand and held it out, a teasing grin on his face. To his utter amazement, she spit into her own hand without hesitation and tightly gripped his in a firm shake.

"Haruno Sakura. I'm entering the Academy next term," she introduced. Genma nodded, impressed.

"Shiranui Genma. I'm an ANBU turned Tokubetsu Jounin. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

As they went their separate ways, Sakura felt a small puff of air next to her ear and looked at her shoulder. A deathstalker scorpion perched on her, bobbing its tail up and down.

"Hello, Haruno-san. My name is Yori, one of Sasori-san's summons."

"Ah, a pleasure to finally meet you," she greeted. "Does Sasori-san have something for me?"

She held her open palm up to her shoulder and let the scorpion crawl on. Once he did, there was a wisp of smoke and a small sheet of rolled paper appeared in his pincers.

"Here."

Sakura read through it with unmasked surprise.

Pein is different. The chakra receivers that were embedded into his body before are no longer there and his rinnegan is absent. The Akatsuki also seem to have no desire to the bijuu, so the boy is safe. I apologize in advance for sporadic replies if you ever send me information. It seems I'm being watched for my "odd" behavior.

Me? Odd? They must be joking.

Sakura nearly rolled her eyes before setting the note aflame, letting the ash drift down to her feet. She looked at the scorpion who was waiting patiently. "I don't think I have anything to send to him right now. But if it isn't too much trouble, Yori-san, do you think I can extract some venom from your tail?"

::

Something about Haruno Sakura intrigued him the moment he first saw her. All Genma was planning to do was buy a pack of senbon and be on his merry way, but when he laid eyes on a little runt who looked like she fell into a river and crawled in the mud, he decided to stay just a bit longer. He watched as she inspected each weapon she came across with a critical and experienced eye. Strange.

When she picked out the retractable wrist blades, he mused over her choice. They weren't a popular weapon among the shinobi as they stuck on the user and was incapable of being thrown or manipulated to a great extent.

"You could say that. How much for the blades, oji-san?"

"2,500 ryo. How are the senbon and kunai I sold you some time ago?"

"Great, actually. You really have good wares at this store."

There was something strange about the way she said that, especially the use of the word 'wares'. He supposed it would be normal if she was in one of the clans, but he couldn't recall any children with bright pink hair. A sense of generosity washed over him when he saw the girl peer into her wallet and frown, so he took out 2,500 out of his own wallet and paid for her weapon. He waved off any sort of concern she had over the money, paid for his own senbon, and walked out the door fully expecting her to follow. She did.

"Hold on a minute!"

When she caught up to him, her breathing wasn't labored. Actually, she didn't even look like she ran over to him with her breathing so calm and even. Her footsteps were silent as well, usually the mark of a seasoned shinobi. She looked up him with eyes far too old for someone as young as her.

"I don't like owing debts, Shinobi-san."

The steel in her voice was unmistakable. After observing her for a few seconds more, he gave her his offer before spitting into his hand and holding it out to her. Genma did this often with his friends and co-workers, but they had yet to spit into their own hands and shake back. But she did so without hesitation, much to his wonderment.

"Haruno Sakura. I'm entering the Academy next term," she introduced.

Now he was really interested.

It wasn't until a week later when he actually needed a favor done. Aside from that, he wanted to test a theory. Genma had taken the time a few days before to look into the Haruno name. Haruno Kizashi and Haruno Mebuki had both advanced to genin status before dropping out of the shinobi lifestyle, practically making them civilian. Their backgrounds were nothing spectacular as they had stemmed from civilian families anyways.

He sought her out soon after with a couple of folders in his hands. He looked at all the possible places she could be at and eventually found her at a playground with the Uzumaki boy. She played with him in the sand and when Naruto wasn't looking, sent dirty glares at the children and adults that dared to look at her friend the wrong way. Genma held a fist to his mouth to keep in his amused laughter.

What a cute kid.

She played with Naruto for a few minutes longer before they both stopped and turned towards the sound of a scuffle near the slides. A group of older kids were surrounding someone and taunting them mercilessly.

"Fatty! Fatty!" one mocked.

"Why're you crying, tubby? 'Cause your friend's not here?" another teased. Sakura got up to her feet angrily and stomped over, Naruto following not too far behind.

"Leave him alone, you jackasses," her voice shrilled, "or I'll make you pay!"

She pushed through the group of bullies and kneeled down in front of the sniffling boy. 'Akimichi.' Genma recognized, 'And Chouza-sensei's son, if I'm not mistaken.' Sakura put her hands on his shoulders, making him look up at her with his red-rimmed eyes..

"What's your name?" she questioned softly. He rubbed at his eyes.

"Ch-Chouji..." he whispered just barely enough for her to hear.

"Alright, Chouji. Give me just a minute, okay?"

Sakura stood back up and faced the bullies with irate eyes that could send a chill down anyone's spine. It did to Genma's. The presumed leader of the bullies gulped and stood toe to toe and leered down at her.

"You better leave him alone from now on," she spat. The bully shoved her, causing Naruto to growl as he helped Chouji to his feet.

"And what's a stupid little girl gonna do 'bout it?"

Genma really didn't know what he was expecting, but when she reeled her fist back and decked him clean onto the ground without breaking a sweat he nearly keeled over in laughter. Naruto stared at her with newfound respect, Chouji ceased his crying to gape at his savior, and the bullies picked up their friend before making a hasty retreat. Sakura huffed before turning back around and smiling.

"Are you okay, Chouji? They didn't hurt you too bad, did they?" she questioned. Chouji shook his head, eyes still wide from her display of strength. Her smile turned into a grin. "Good."

"Sakura-chan, you were so cool, dattebayo!" Naruto praised loudly. "I think ya' broke his nose and that made it better!"

Genma finally calmed down and wiped the tears from his eyes before walking towards the three kids while tapping the folders on his shoulder. "Well, well. Not bad, Sakura-chan," he greeted. Naruto and Chouji blinked up at him nervously and backed up a few steps. Sakura scoffed and crossed her arms.

"He's lucky that I didn't break his entire face, Shiranui-san," she said, making Genma bark out another laugh. "So you finally have that favor for me?"

He handed her the folders and his... ID authorization card? "I need you to go to the T&I building and deliver these documents for me."

::

Edited: 1/27/18