Shibi didn't think anyone would be in when he got home from the clan meeting. Around this time, Shino would be out finding new species and not be back until sundown. But as soon as he entered his house, he saw two pairs of unfamiliar sandals beside his son's. He stared at them for a few seconds before following the faint hum of voices in the backyard. Though first he approached his charge, the son of the late Aburame Shikuro, who sat curled up with a book near the window.

"Torune, does Shino have classmates over?"

The nine year old looked up. "They ran in soaking wet carrying a jar of killer hornets. Now he's showing them some of his colonies," he replied. Shibi nodded as Torune returned to his book and slid the door open. Outside, he was able to get a better look at the two kids. As far as he knew, Shino didn't hang out with too many others because they tended to think bugs were creepy.

One thing he noticed was that they were wearing some of Shino's old clothes. Soaking wet, Torune had said? It was a good tactic to run away from those hornets, he had to admit. Not his primary course of action, but good nonetheless. The boy he recognized as a Nara, Shikaku's son, maybe? He couldn't remember too well. The girl he didn't recognize at all, but that was fine and didn't matter as long as they were good to his son.

"So that one's a girl beetle?"

"Yes. This kabutomushi'll lay eggs soon then die."

"Eh?! So short!"

Shikamaru and Sakura stared in awe at the horned beetle traipsing along the ground. Shino turned his head at the approach of his father.

"Welcome back, tou-san."

"Shino," Shibi acknowledged, patting the boy's head. "And these are?"

The boy stood up first and offered a slight bow to his elder. "Nara Shikamaru," he introduced. "Nice to meet you."

The girl was second. Shibi watched as she got to her feet with an elegance that matched that of the unbridled wind; smooth and unbending in its most natural state. His eyes narrowed the tiniest fraction as she smiled and introduced herself as any polite little girl would.

"And I'm Haruno Sakura. Nice to meet you too," she greeted. The man nodded to the two of them, his eyes lingering on Sakura for a little longer.

"It's a pleasure," he replied.

Hm.

::

Genma took his time walking through the hallways of the Kage Tower. He was the one to give the mission report on his team's behalf and it wouldn't take too long to give it anyways. His month long assignment that was supposed to last the next few weeks was cut incredibly short at the convenience of their target dying of a stroke.

He wasn't complaining in the slightest. Even only being gone for a week, he was already starting to miss the little brat he and Ibiki took under their wings. She was a quick learner, didn't whine about anything, and caused just enough trouble to get him a good laugh in his days. The twerp was really starting to grow on him. A little twisted in the head, but hey, nothing her good ol' sensei couldn't fix, right?

He knocked twice on the door to the office and entered. Genma was surprised to see Ibiki standing in the room with his ever-so-serious frown on his face. Hiruzen waved him in and motioned for the door to be shut.

"You came in at an opportune time, Genma," the Hokage said. "It would be good for you to have an ear in this conversation."

Genma crossed his arms and kept to the side, looking from his boss to his leader. This had to be about what he had been thinking of earlier. The only business he and Ibiki were ever a part of that would be Hokage-level importance was their training of Haruno Sakura. He didn't think there was anything noteworthy, though. Did something happen when he was away? Damn, he always missed the good things.

"... Sakura's capable enough to handle the truth. She acts like his protector already, so she might as well know what she's getting into," Ibiki seemed to continue from a previous point. "From what I've seen, there isn't anything she can't handle. Shiranui can attest to that."

The aforementioned bobbed his head. "Still don't know what we're talking about, but yeah. Kid's got the brains and the brawn."

Hiruzen sighed.

"That may be true, but this isn't your normal piece of information like a passing rumor or a life story. This the Kyuubi attack and all the chaos and taboo it brought with it. Sakura may be a mature young lady, but there is a reason why the newer generations know nothing about the attack or the demon's existence," he said. Genma blinked before slowing turning towards the Sandaime.

"I know what her sensei told me at the parent-teacher conference. She most likely threatened him with the implication of knowing about the demon and knew what she was getting into by bringing it up with the man."

Genma moved himself back to facing Ibiki. He felt a surge of mixed feelings and he didn't know which one to pick. Appalled that they were thinking about telling Sakura about the incident or proud that she got in trouble during the second week of school.

Hiruzen sighed once more and pulled his pipe from his mouth to breathe out smoke. "Fine," he relented. "If you're that assured in her, you may tell her about it. But it must be disclosed with her parents and if this backfires, it's all on you."

"I will accept all the blame, Hokage-sama," Ibiki said.

"Good. Then you're dismissed."

He looked at the gaping Genma and jerked his head towards the door. Once the were in the hallway, the older man turned to his boss.

"Whoa, whoa, wait. What the hell happened when I was gone?!"

::

Shikaku yawned as he entered the Nara Clan's research facility. It was hidden in the mountains about an hour's walk out the village and behind the Hokage Monument. The place held numerous medicines and held their master book of healing, holding knowledge for generations upon generations.

Only a few Nara went there from time to time, but most of the time it stayed empty and lightly guarded. He nodded to the one or two other clansmen in the building before making his way to the room that held the ingredient stock.

He stopped when he spotted his own son—that lazy kid who even complained about lifting his hand to move a shogi piece-- walking through the aisles and sifting through everything the clan had to offer. Shikaku looked at the table to see the master book opened with an odd yellow-grey liquid in a vial beside it.

"Shikamaru, what are you doing here?"

"Huh? Just, uh, something troublesome for a friend. Don't worry 'bout it, it's nothing," he replied, not looking up from his searching. Shikaku approached the master book and scanned the page it was opened to: the Insect section, more specifically the one about Killer Hornets. How to store the venom, combine it with other items to make a far more potent elixir, how to make the antidote...

"Is your friend interested in poisons?"

"I guess. She's weird like that."

Haruno Sakura. It had to be. Her name was frequenting its presence more and more that it made him want to look into her background. He picked up the vial and swirled it around a couple of times, then looked back at the book.

"She extracted this too?" he asked. Shikamaru shook his head and picked out a small jar from the bottom shelf.

"No, that was Shino. He knows allota 'bout bugs and taught us how to do it."

Shikaku put the venom back down and sat in the chair beside the table. Aburame Shino? Shikamaru never talked about him or made any indication of having known him. Those two really must be something to get his son to actually get up and do something.

He wasn't complaining. It was just everything was just a little bit... odd.

::

The sun was setting on the horizon. Sakura was sat in Ibiki's office on his couch, both her sensei standing in front of her. They had just finished giving her the whole story of the Kyuubi attack and were waiting pensively for her reply. She stared at the ground for a few moments, thinking about what she should say or what reaction would lead her in the right type of light. Eventually, her head shot up with hardened eyes.

"Then that means I have to take care of him more, doesn't it?!" she exclaimed. Genma narrowed his eyes and started forward.

"... What?"

"That's why people are mean to him, right?" she hissed. "Why everyone acts like he doesn't belong? These asses don't know what they're talking about. I knew I should've put more seals in his house!"

Ibiki pressed his lips together and looked to the side, pushing down his desire to laugh. That explained her mother's finding of protection seals under her daughter's bed. She was a good person inside and out, it seemed, and the Hokage was worried over nothing.

"You put seals in his house?" Genma questioned incredulously.

"Yeah. He lives in a pretty rough place."

"Holy shit, kid. You're insane. But I gotta, say, you're real chill for a six year old," he whistled. Ibiki went to sit back at his desk. Maybe it was because she was so young that she had yet to absorb just how heavy the information was. Or maybe it would take just a few more hours to realize what exactly she heard.

As she and Genma kept up their exchange, Ibiki glanced down at the progress report hidden behind some folders. He'd have to hand this over to Sakura's mother soon. But the last time they'd seen each other, a coincidental passing in the streets, she said she was concerned about Sakura's well-being.

He cast a cursory stare her way, then picked up a pen to start his work.

::

Poison-tipped kunai lay concealed in Sakura's clothing as she sat at her desk, chin propped up in her palm and half-lidded eyes pointing towards the empty front of the classroom. There were bags under her eyes from lack of sleep the previous night, but was well concealed by some lightening balms and healing chakra. The tiredness was part of her routine now, and had been far into the war.

"You're Haruno Sakura, aren't you? The Godaime's darling apprentice."

Their teacher hadn't arrived yet, and something was telling her that the asshole hadn't stuck around for much longer.

"So what if I am?" Sakura snarled, "Someone like you ain't got shit on me!"

She could barely hear Sasuke and Naruto arguing beside her, or the calm conversation Chouji and Shikamaru were having behind her.

Obito laughed, half insane half heartily. Black flames surrounded them-- burning down trees and grass and filling the air with the Devil's breath. He slid into an offensive position and held out a tanto before him.

"Didn't your mentor tell you to not be naive? Or maybe Kakashi didn't lecture you hard enough. I'm your worst enemy, sweetheart."

Sakura's fingers tapped on her legs as she watched the door slide open.

"What, because you've got pretty black flames surrounding us? Your scare tactic won't work when I get over there and bring you down!"

Their new teacher smiled at the bunch of them, a perky sixteen year old with a hop in his step. The room quieted down when he turned towards the chalkboard and wrote his name down.

Obito laughed again.

"Oh, Sakura-chan. Then I suppose I'll take this time to teach you the reason why your parents told you not to play with fire."

"Good morning, class! I'm going to be your new teacher, Iruka-sensei!"

::

Kabutomushi: Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle

::

EDITED 1/31/18