Shape to Bloom

•‡•

To be expected

by Poket.

_03:46pm

Hard swallow: Gulp!

Padding of feet

Deep breath

Slightly shaking hands holding each other

Eyes examining all the corners of the room

The line of the mouth moving – almost wildly

Tensed shoulders

Head spin around to the office table when a chuckle is heard.

"Daimo-kun, you can calm yourself down and stop looking at the corners of the ceiling like that or Zanzi-san will believe her cleaning isn't satisfying." Said the elder Hokage in a soft voice. He was around 70 years old, was dressed in his white and red Hokage's robes but without the hat. The look in his eyes was soft and showed his amusement for the boy's behavior.

They've been awaiting the person that he requested to see for a little while and the 11 years old have been restless since then, although trying hard to do it all the most discreetly not to be embarrassed in front of his shishou – but failing miserably, all to the Hokage's entertainment.

"Heheh…" he smiled nervously with his two eyes closed and his two hands still clapped with each other. "It's ok-" he couldn't finish due to the jump he gave after hearing the soft sound at the door.

Knock knock

"Come in" the elder man called noting that chestnut haired boy moved some 30cm from where he was before… to the proximity of his table. All that discreetly, of course. He chuckled again and turned his gaze to the door where a brunette jounin entered followed by a blue haired and blue eyed woman. Both stepped out of the door and stood beside each other.

"Anything else, Hokage-sama?"

"Ah, no, no, thank you, Sano-san."

Said man nodded and left. The woman took a few more steps forward stopping in front of the table. She glanced quickly at the boy at its side and then settled it on the white hard, half bald, Hokage at the center. She bowed a little before asking. "Hokage-sama, did you wish to see me?"

"Oh, yes, Konan-san. Take a sit, please."

She nodded and walked to sit at the chair on the right, the farthest one from her… nearer from Daimo, but didn't spare him a slight glace, having it rested on the elder man instead.

"How have you been, Konan-san?"

"Very well, thank you" she said with a very small smile.

"That's good to know. I'm sure you are aware the Hina Matsuri Festival is coming up." He said in questioning voice.

"Hai, there are already preparations in the streets. I don't live inside the woods, Sarotoubi-san." She said with a small smirk, raising a brow at him.

He chuckled. "True, true… But you live near the woods." He sighed "Konan-san, you know you can-"

"Hai, I know, you've already proposed. So did Jiraya-sensei and Tsunade-san. But I'm pleased to live there… I like the tranquility and the optional isolation-"

Chuckle "Sarotoubi-sensei, you know Konan isn't what one can call a social butterfly." A voice amusedly said, earning a twitch from the woman.

Konan and Sarotoubi looked at the window to see Jiraya leaning on the sill, with his arms crosses, shaking his head with a grin at both.

"Jiraya, this is not a matter-"

"Sorry for the intromission, Hokage-sensei." He said while said old man rolled his eyes in light exasperation, massaging his temple with one hand while mumbling about 'former students that don't grow up no matter how you try, they still the same…' "But I was coming to talk to you, and since Konan-chan is here I thought I might as well be part of this conversation since I'm her sensei" when the old man was about to correct him "Or former sensei, if you will. But a sensei is always a sensei. So, as one, I know of my importance in this meetings-"

"Jiraya! Konan-san is-"

The amused, almost sweat dropping blue haired woman nodded "Yes, it's ok"

This elicited a grin from the toad sage, of course. "See?"

Sigh. "Ok, Jiraya. Please take a sit…" when he felt a retort "or stay on the sill of the window, if you'd like." A nod. "Ok. Where was I?"

Jiraya leaned down "Are those yearly little numbers getting to you, sensei?"

"Jiraya!" Said man leaned against the sill again while snickering behind his hand. "So…" – twitch - sigh "Konan-san, you know if you ever change your mind, you'd have a good place to move in the heart of the village, if you will." He said with a smile.

"Hai, thank you" she said with a small smile at him.

"Are you planning on attending the festival?"

"I don't think so; I'm not one for beliefs."

"Oh, but not everybody does… It's a beautiful fest, and I'm sure little Sakura-chan would love it."

"Oh she does…" Konan said softly with a light chuckle.

Her change when spoken of her daughter was unmistakable. Her well trained emotionless face, which she relaxed a little near those she trusted, two being Sarotoubi and her former sensei Jiraya, broke into a soft expression at the mention of the girl's name.

"So, you could bring her and Nagato-san, Yahiko-san, and your friends, it's a good festival for all family and Im sure Sakura-chan can make acquaintances around her age-"

"I'm not so sure, Hokage-sama. I will see to it, but I don't think we will attend." Konan finalized. The defense tone she used was clear, and both men could find a sparkle of fear in the matter. Purely mother defense.

"Konan-san, the matter I called you here for doesn't demand for a big change of route in our conversation. It's about Sakura." Being the shinobis they were, they were easily able to note the tension on her shoulders and how her face was masked again. "The elders and the academy council have been wondering when Sakura will matriculate."

"You know of our position on this matter, Hokage-sama. We've already talked about that." She said in an almost stern tone.

"We talked when Sakura was five, last year. At that time, I agreed with you, Yahiko-san and Nagato-san, since it was early, even though we see her great ability and capacity in her like in we do in all kids that are so called prodigies, and as far as we can tell, she is. You are one, yourself. As Nagato-san and Yahiko-san too. But that was totally optional, and I agreed that we could wait. A year has passed, and she is now six years old, the good age for her time in the Ninja Academy begin."

"Hokage-sama-"

"Konan." Jiraya interrupted in a serious tone, looking sternly at her. "You can't deny her that. You can't hide her from whatever it is. You can do your best to protect her, and I'm sure you do. But she has to be able to defend herself."

"She can train with us. We are all high rank shinobi and more than capable-"

"It isn't the same. Many of the kids from the Academy come from clans, powerful clans, such as Uchihas and Hyuugas, for a short example. All went or go to the Academy. You know there's much more to learn than purely skills, especially for a kunoichi. You also know this girl has great potentials and you have to free her to develop them. To be the best she can be, like the others do also their best. You know she is just a child, and yes, we know that. You can't say we don't because in the Academy that's what they are for. There they teach you the basics and those are mean to become a natural instinct. And so you can learn the harder and more challenging skills and jutsus and knowleges by experiencing."

Konan stood glaring at the sannin and scaring Daimo, who jumped meters away, near the door this time, clumsily. "I know all of this sensei! I am a kunoichi, I know about all of this very well! Sakura's been thru a lot, and I can't stand it! She has a home now; she has a family of her own. I know you mean well, but it's. Not. That. Simple!" she hissed the last part.

"I never said it was simple, Konan! Since when, tell me, a shinobi life is? You-" Jiraya was cut off by the old man that shushed the angry tones.

"You both: sit"

Konan sighed and sat. Jiraya remained on his place by the sill.

Sigh "Jiraya, or you sit, or you leave."

Jiraya walked to the chair on the left and sat. Sandaime looked behind the two, near the door, Daimo trembling like a leaf in the wind, with his golden eyes widened. He felt like asking him to leave, but he couldn't be this soft since the kid was a shinobi, in the penultimate year of the Academy. But hell, he was soft. "Daimo-kun, can you fold these papers I have here for me? Since I have a few appointments after these meeting it would save me the time." The boy nodded and walked nervously to the side of the desk, his gaze set downwards on the papers.

Sigh. "Let me continue. Konan-san, I know very well of the unfortunate things Sakura had to go thru. I was faintly aware of it a for a few days, but I didn't have the proof at the time. Hokage or not, I can't do everything as I wish. I can't invade homes without a reason, and a good possibility for it to be true. It made me mostly happy and relieved to know she is happy where she is with you, and having a new family. I mean this entire village well; this is why I am a Hokage. I fight for every one of them. But I can't deny I have some that are closer to my heart. Sakura is one of those… and so are you." He said looking tenderly at her, who had more than one emotion passing her eyes but her expression remained the same, expectantly. "About the Academy, I ask you to think about it at home, with the others. It's not a simple matter as you said, so the response can't be a simple no, or a yes. My opinion is that is the right time and is her right, not only as a future kunoichi but also as a child, to befriend others. It's important, and I truly believe it will do her well."

She snorted softly "I'm sorry, Hokage-sama, but do you think the villagers-"

"The villagers will have nothing to do with it. She will be under my wing, I'm sure she will conquer the teachers rather fast" he chuckled remembering the little girl ability to "and the villagers will have to respect that. After all, she has nothing to do with anything that can bother them-"

"She has to do with us."

"You've been welcomed in this village a long time ago, Konan. You know very well that it isn't even half of the villages that share these thoughts. Sakura will have her shot, and we will do all we can to make it happen in the best of terms. We have other kids that go thru the same matter, and Im curious to when they meet." He paused. He could see her looking at him curiously but refrained from asking feeling it wouldn't be answered. He knew she was aware of what he was talking about, like the villagers also knew about it. But details on the matter were a secret he kept with a few ones.

Konan sighed "I will think about it."

"Very well" he nodded. "Now there is one more matter I have to talk to you about. It's about the Haruno clan."

"I don't have anything to talk-"

"Konan" Sarotoubi said sternly for the first time, shutting any retorts. "I know very well how opposed and defensive you are when it comes to this, so you've been ever since. But I tell you, you cant condemn a whole clan for one's mistake. As much as it angers you what happened, as much as it hurt her, as much as it pained me, we aren't talking about those, we are talking about a clan, her clan."

"She is not one of them anymore, she doesn't need-"

"She is and always will be." Jiraya said from her side, but this time not glaring at his former student, but looking at her knowing it was hard for her to admit.

"Once they wanted to have her custody again, but they were open for arrangements since they knew you were also part of her. But you didn't listen; you didn't take any part on it. Now they are on it again, by their own rights, as her relatives and her clan, and I'm not sure how open they are. But they are surely more determined and they won't back off, and neither you can stop them this time."

"WHA-"

"It's her family, Konan! They don't mean her ill in the least! Some were already acting on what was happening, some informed me and others were restless to invade the private home… They weren't oblivious to it, they didn't ignore it, and they were moving against it. You can't put all in the same box because of them being Harunos, Sakura is a Haruno."

Konan kept quiet for a while. "What do you expect me to do?"

"I expect you to receive a lawyer, a counselor from the Academy and an official from the juvenile court they have asked for."

Konan shut her eyes taking a deep breath.

"The counselor is just for a talk. The Harunos are a peaceful clan, Konan. They mean her well, and are grateful for your care for her till today-"

She gave a small bitter laugh "Till today, hun? So they intend on having her back-"

"I don't believe they mean to take her from you. They want arrangements in the matter though, because they want to be a part of her life."

"I see." She stood up "Was that all, Hokage-sama?"

He gazed at her for a moment taking in the angsty feelings she was feeling. He didn't mean to be this way, but she had to understand. Unfortunately, she wasn't only very defensive and enormously attached to the girl, Konan was young herself at the age of 17, to fully understand the matters at hand, since this situations has had the troubles of its own already. He knows where her fear lies and, unfortunately, no matter how much he would like to, he can't assure it won't happen. He glaced at Jiraya and saw him looking at him knowingly.

"Yes, Konan-san. That's it. I ask you to receive these people at your house, and have a talk. I'm not sure if a psychologist will be present…" he saw her flinch and bit her lower lip, certainly to prevent any outburst "and to think about the matter with your close ones."

She nodded.

"Other than that, I hope to see you at the Hina Matsuri Festival in a few days, with little Sakura-chan. It would be very pleasant."

She nodded and bowed. "Hokage-sama, Jiraya-sama"

Before she transported leaving only a few pieces of paper on the ground Sandaime talked again. "Take her, please, Konan. She will like it so much."

And she transported leaving only papers dancing in the wind out of the window.

Sigh "I think she didn't take it that well…"

Jiraya laughed "You think? The –Sama in my end was a master clue."

Sarotoubi chuckled nodding.

"She always does it, since little. It's to instigate me! Oh but I'll not fall for that, uh uh" he mumbled to himself while shaking his head with a "superior" expression but reminded more of a sulking one to the Hokage who turned his gaze to the boy who had already folded the papers and was now arranging in different pillars to pass the time.

"Very good, Daimo-kun. You can relax."

The boy sat on the chair and exhaled much to the amusement of the old man and the sannin.

She knew rights, as so they like to call it so much. Right to defend who is attacked; right to attack who is coming against you or someone close to you. Right to attack who is taunting you for having a good defense or to defend who has none.

They've been over this. For two years.

One could believe that quote the historical samurai said once…

"The logical conclusion to any defensive war is defeat"

…but, apparently, one didn't.

Or, maybe, the one is her.

And she hasn't been defensive enough.

Hina Matsuri Festival:

It can be also called "doll festival" and takes place on March every year. It celebrates Girls' Day in Japan, and from mid to late February families with daughters put out the dolls with the hopes their daughters will grow up healthy and happy. One superstition associated with this is that if they are late in putting away the dolls when the festival is over, their daughters will become old maids. Most displays consist of just a prince, (Odairi-sama) and a princess (Ohina-sama), but more elaborate displays include the dolls being part of a 5 or 7 tier display (hinadan), along with courtiers, candy, rice boiled with red beans (osekihan), white sake (shirozake), peach blossoms, diamond shaped rice cake (hishimochi), toys, and tiny furniture. Traditionally many parents or grandparents will begin their first display for their daughter, called hatsu zekku, when she is just a year old, but some families have passed their dolls down from generation to generation with the bride carrying her dolls with her to her new home. Aside from the displays, Japanese used to go view the peach blossoms coming out, drink sake with a blossom in it, and bathe in water with the blossoms. The blossoms represent desirable feminine qualities, including serenity, gentility, and equanimity.