Chapter 14: Heart to Heart, Team 10s Hopeful Farewell

Chouji and Shikamaru were surprised at how open Sakura was being. They were used to her showing she cared while protecting her secrets. She was the cautious sort who only showed or told them what they needed to know in that moment. Most times she seemed unshakable and since the announcement of their participation in the Exams she did a 180. As if she had something else planned and it had been shot to hell thanks to the sensei and Hokage.

"Why were you so afraid to join the Exams? You wanted us to wait." Chouji asked.

Sakura's response chilled them to the bone, "I heard rumor that Orochimaru was planning to invade the exams for a specific child. Sasuke…he wants the Sharingan. Ino however, said that when he came for him that he was also interested in me." She pointed to her forehead, "Because of this and what it means."

Shikamaru looked at the marking, "So, it's the real thing…the Byakugo no In of Tsunade and her ancestors?"

Sakura confirmed it, "Yes, I wanted to prove that my chakra control was top rank. This seal normally takes 3 years to form. I did it within 1 while in academy and hid it per Hokage-sama's request. It was only recently that he asked I hide it no longer."

"Do you know why?" Chouji asked as some things started falling into place. Hearing a Sanin was coming after a classmate and herself. No wonder she'd over supplied and been on edge.

"I'm guessing as a way to lure Tsunade to the village or to bring Orochimaru out of hiding in his attempts to accost me." Sakura smiled, "My childhood I grew up with Genma, Inoichi, Ino, Hayate, Yugao, Anko, and even Ibiki I my life teaching me skills." She laughed, "For a civilian born girl that kind of network at my age points to those who…collect people that I'm worth something."

"Is that why you don't want to broadcast your clan? To protect them from Orochimaru and others like him that might come looking for you?" Shikamaru asked to reaffirm his understanding of her not wanting her clan symbol visible.

"Exactly, Hokage-sama is planning something involving me. I don't know what it is or why? Will it be with you in this team or out somewhere on my own. He's got a plan and I have to trust him." Sakura took a deep breath, "I just want you to be careful and ready for anything. Things are moving and I can't see all the pieces."

Shikamaru looked pensive and he sighed, "Troublesome, there's no use stressing about what hasn't happened yet."

Chouji nodded, "Shikamaru's right, whatever happens we're a team."

Sakura was willing to acknowledge the wisdom in their words, but she also had other concerns about the days to come. She shook her thoughts away and turned her thoughts to her current challenge. Dealing with Orochimaru, she'd had plenty of memories of the man's depravity. She took another deep breath as she grabbed her things to shower. As she moved to the door and opened it to find Ino on the other side.

Ino smiled and held up her shower supplies and night clothes. Sakura grabbed her own to change after they got cleaned up. Together they headed down the hall where they were met by the other ladies. Sakura snickered, "We all had the same idea it seems."

"No kidding, there is power in numbers." Tenten said with a snicker.

Temari and Hinata moved into the bathroom reserved for females and they took the first 2 shower stalls. Sakura claimed the middle Ino to her right and Tenten on the end. They relaxed and the door opened again where she heard a familiar voice. Ino peeked into Sakura's stale with a horrified look. Kin from sound had entered the shower room and started a stall across the hall.

"Sakura…" Ino whispered, "How did they get here?"

Sakura shrugged, "Don't worry about it Ino it's none of our business until the 3rd exam starts. Let's just mind our own business." She then reassured her, "The tower is a neutral zone, they won't start trouble if they want to continue through the exam. We're gonna be fine."

Ino nodded finally comfortable enough to finish her shower. Once all the original 5 ladies finished they dried off and changed before exiting the shower room all groomed and ready for bed. Outside they encountered the sound genin with their sensei. A very familiar man minus his usual eye markings. The girls ignored them and continued to bed with nods.

Sakura paused and waited for her friends to enter their rooms safely before she muttered, "I thought subtlety was your specialty Orochimaru? Guess not, keep your punks on a leash until the 3rd exam begins." With that she entered her room refusing to deal more with the man. He knew little to nothing of her at this point. The begrudged respect they held in her previous life currently nonexistent. She knew calling him out was a risky maneuver, but it may kickstart the process of gaining ground against the man and his swaying mindset. She'd rather be a reluctant neutral then an outright nemesis.

She laid down on her bed and relaxed as the night was going longer. She went to close her eyes for the night she wanted to rest but she was going to meditate lying down. Sakura's eyes closed and she opened them to find herself in the between.

Hashirama sat before her with a gentle smile. "Doing alright? I know Hiruzen's gone and cause a bit of trouble for you."

Sakura in her adult body looked at him her expression empty making the man pout. "A bit of trouble? More like a heap, he changed my team to keep me in the village so we could work together. Now he's decided that me leaving is better. If I was going to leave keeping me on Team 7 would have made more sense!"

Hashirama sighed and then grinned, "Come on Sakura-chan, live a little it'll be an adventure!" He frowned as the women looked even less impressed.

"A 'little'" Sakura said dryly as she held her fingers up in quotations as she said little. "adventure that is literally holding the fate of a large number of people. Oh yes, I want this plan to be shot to hell before it could even start. I trusted Sarutobi to work with me and push this forward." She crossed her arms, "I can't trust him anymore. He's deviating and the consequences could be more drastic than he imagines."

Hashirama reassured her, "Sakura-chan you've planned for the worst-case scenario…you may not have wanted to draw the Sanin's attention but doing so will help Sasuke. As for your mission you can technically reach more people outside then you could from within the village. As scary as it seems it's a blessing in disguise."

Sakura laid back and groaned her eyes looking up as she said tired, "Maybe Kisame would have an idea? I have to approach him at some point, right?"

Hashirama pointed out, "He's not going to know to look out for you though, is he?"

Sakura pouted, "Hashirama, I need ideas and suggestions not being shot down. Contribute! Her frustration at her friend from heaven driving her up the wall. She stood and moved towards the water in her little inner world of peace.

Hashirama grinned, "You could travel from village to village picking up little tricks that you'd never learn in the leaf village." He shrugged as he leaned back, "You could slowly collect bounties and earn a name for yourself as you're on the road as an independent contractor. When you've made a name for yourself approach him then."

Sakura smiled at the positivity of the man and she patted his shoulder. "You may have a point there. Being as young as I am seeing me travel and seeing the world wouldn't be seen as threatening. In most cases anyway." She took a moment to think, "Should I start in Waterfall, Rain, or maybe Sand instead?"

Hashirama decided to suggest, "Why not go to Stone or Lightening and work your way back from there. It would give things in Konoha time to calm down and you could get your work done."

Sakura frowned, "What about Danzo? While I'm in the village I am safe and considered one of the people. If I leave without Hokage sanction first, then I run the risk of being labeled an enemy or a loose asset. I don't want to be stalked by the man."

Hashirama paused, "Talk with Hiruzen when you have a chance. Preferably before all hell breaks loose." The man was now a bit less certain. Did Hiruzen have a plan for Danzo, for Sakura, what was he thinking, and did he look at the situation from all angles before deviating from the original plan? Only time would tell if Sakura couldn't meet with the man before things in Konoha went violent which it almost certainly would with Orochimaru and Kabuto around.

Sakura sighed, "Meeting with him could only happen after the preliminaries. They wouldn't have the second matches right away unless he changed the plan even more without warning." She grumbled, "This is why we make plans so we all stay on the same page and can follow it along, I hate this not knowing shit. How can I do what I'm here to do if he goes and changes shit on me?"

Sakura sat back down and started the lightly pull at her long hair. Her nails scratching some of her scalp's pressure points to help herself relax. She sighed happily as Hashirama began messing with her hair she didn't really let anyone do it among her peers which made her pause.

'Maybe I could use this as a way of bonding with my teammates? Letting em have my back and be near my neck? No, too girly…maybe.' Sakura sighed again as she laid back looking up at Hashirama. "How do I show Shika and Chou that I trust them?"

Hashirama smiled, "Just let them see you. Not the mask, the you I see when you're here. Mature, concerned, maternal, protective, and somewhat paranoid. You are the person they need to see. The naïve little girl no longer exists…only you. She is nothing more than a memory, your starting point, it doesn't define you now." He paused to allow her to absorb the things he was telling her. "Do you understand what I mean Sakura?"

"I think so…I just hope I can do it without risking their safety. I don't want them to be targeted because of me." Sakura took a deep breath, "They aren't the ridiculously overpowered children that Sasuke and Naruto are. They are gifted in their own ways but, if they died because of me," her pause was filled with weight only she could carry. "I would never be able to forgive myself. They have beautiful futures without me changing things and if I erased it, I'd be damned."