Interlude: A new day Pt 18

Chapter Six: Shiori working overtime

Friday, March 22nd. 7th year of the rule of Godaime Hokage.

Proclaiming Itachi a hero of Konoha had spread like wildfire, as had the rumours. The official version however said that the entire story was Uchiha Madara’s, and thus the fault of Akatsuki, who blackmailed Itachi into doing his biding.
Sasuke however sat, together with his girlfriend Sakura, in the kura (Storage house) of his family’s home which he had recently let renovate, as he had done over the whole compound. Being the sole heir to a rich clan and the student of a master blacksmith certainly had its perks. After searching the rooms of the old kura, reading several journals in his aniki’s elaborate handwriting, he broke down on the floor, sobbing into Sakura’s shoulder. “Nii-san…”
Sakura was shell-shocked at the revelations. “Ô-Kami-sama… I had no idea, Sasuke-kun,” she whispered and hugged him tightly.
After what seemed to be hours (it were a few minutes), the Uchiha atotori’s sobs subsided into silence again.

Konoha-Yakushi-Inari-taisha. 1000 Zulu.
Meanwhile, at Konoha-Yakushi-Inari-taisha, one juvenile Miko was fully occupied with scribbling furiously into a green folder marked with舞途 [Maito, Dancing Path], and mumbling various negative remarks about short notice organizing of a wedding. In front of her sat Gai with his fiancée Ayane in seiza. The two of them had decided to marry after attending Kakashi’s wedding. The whole thing was scheduled for the end of March.
“Could you just give me one good reason why it must be on March the 30th?” she grumbled, her Tengan glowing.
Gai shifted uneasily under the powerful gaze of the Miko. “We just don’t want to wait, Shiori-sama.”
“You know that I charge 50.000 Ryo extra for overtime working don’t you…”
“We know and we talked about it, Shiori-sama,” Ayane cut in, “and we agreed on ‘to hell with it.’ We just want to get married ASAP.”
The Miko grinned mischievously. “All right, then the W-question list. Who to invite, what to eat, what to wear, which festival hall, what décor and wherein to announce. No 1 means your guest list.”
“Aya-chan…”
Said Tokubetsu-Jo-nin pulled out a scroll. “Here. Basically, it’s the Suzuki family, the clan Reps and Gai’s colleagues and team with family.”
The Miko snatched the list of ideas out of Ayane’s hands and checked it briefly. “You two already have kimono for your wedding?”
Ayane nodded. “Gai still has the one his father wore… and mine is being tailored as we speak.”
“You order a classical, spring-themed Kaiseki Ryori… and I would suggest the Peach grove festival hall. The trees should be in full bloom by then.”
The couple stared in awe at the young Miko. “You certainly live up to your reputation, Ô-Miko-sama,” Gai said.
Shiori shook her head. “Just doing my job, Maito-sama. A job I did since I was four years old. I had quite some time to practice.”
“And it pays off,” Ayane added.
“Indeed.” She took out some more folders from the drawer behind her. “It will take a week for the major preparations. Call in at the end of next week. Same time, same place. Dismissed.”
“Hai!”
“And off they are… I guess I should get this show on the road then. ARGH!” The priestess vanished in a whirl of cherry blossoms and lotus petals (Yakushi Hana Shunshin).

Trust a story without explicit seal of privacy or secrecy to Ino and/or Shiori and be certain that all of Konoha will know before the sun dies. Thus, the topic of the day was Mister-Super-Freak No 1, Maito Gai, was going marry the second craziest woman in all of Konoha, the “Life-is-a-blast” bomb and trap specialist Ayane from the trader and bodyguard ninja family of Suzuki – on short notice.
Sasuke however was not really interested in these rumours. After walking Sakura to her parents’ door, he aimlessly wandered the roads of Konoha until he found himself on top of Hokage Mountain, on the head of Hokage-o-jii-san (Grandfather Hokage) aka Sandaime, whose first name Sasuke shared. (AN: It’s actually not, according to the newest chapters, but I am plainly ignoring that and go on with the original idea of Sandaime-sama’s name being Sarutobi Sasuke, like the legendary historic ninja.)
Staring at the village, he decided to be honest with himself. The thing which interested him was rather… delicate in nature. Hell, he had it bad! His whole world of thinking was Sakura! He was desperate enough that just a smile of hers would lighten his day, and when they held each other, he never wanted to let her go, no hanky-panky included… which was a indicator for something more than your normal garden-variety of lust.
Asking the Yakushi Grand Miko for advice was out of question since she would be most likely busy as hell, and not only with the Maito-Suzuki wedding, but also with the upcoming wedding of Hyuga Neji and his chosen bride, Tenten, the next month. Same was for the Hokage and the white-haired San-nin, Jiraiya; ruling the village was a full-time job. The Yakushi family ran a hospital. He sighed. “That leaves… one couple with emotional withdrawal symptoms, silver hair and three months worth of leave. Well then, Shishou-sama, I hope you have some more advice.” He turned to run down into the village.

Yakushi Compound, Main Clan House. 1930 Zulu.
After returning from the emo-distress-call at the Uchiha Clan house, Sakura had been surprised to find the following note addressed to her on the kitchen table.

To Haruno Sakura-sama
Dear Sakura-san, we would be delighted if you join us for dinner and »pointless chat«.
薬師・猫俣 & 薬師・リー
Yakushi Nekomata & Yakushi Lee

This was why she was now standing in the hospital garden, in front of the gates to the Yakushi Compound. Alone. Dressed into a heavy yukata. Again. Dreading the meeting and at the same time feeling thrilled anticipation. She loved Nekomata like a big sister – after all, she had been her sempai for years at the hospital – but seeing her so incredibly happy with Lee and getting a family of her own and becoming the new leader of the clan was still a painful reminder of her own loneliness not so long ago. “Should I go in or not?” She sighed. “Argh, hell, whatever… after all, they invited me.”
Sakura stepped through the arch into the front yard and rang the doorbell at the main house. The sliding door opened and a plainly dressed servant greeted her with the words, “May I help you?”
“Ah, yes… Yakushi-hime-sama invited me for dinner.”
The girl’s eyes widened. “Oh, so you are Haruno-sama! My name is San (三, three). Please follow me.” Offering her a pair of house slippers, San led her through the house to the doors of the dining hall, where Sakura took seiza on a cushion at the long side of the table. “Please wait here. Yakushi-hime-sama and her consort will be here soon.” And so she vanished.
Not even long after that, some chattering and shuffled footsteps marked the entrance of the Yakushi Clan Leader and her consort. “Sakura!” “Sakura-san!” the couple greeted her cordially and sat down.
“Lee-san, Senpai. It’s good to see you.” She eyed her senpai carefully. Nekomata had always attracted the men with her nice curves, but pregnancy definitely agreed with her. She was positively glowing. Her figure had blossomed as she had started to put on some necessary weight – as most kunoichi, Yakushi Nekomata’s normal weight was the so-called ideal weight, bordering on underweight… but for a mother-to-be, that was really not enough. But it seemed that she actually listened to her own advice and ate properly and whenever she was hungry, giving into any craving she had. “You look good, nee-san.”
“Thank you, but I do not think you will be too impressed with my eating habits nowadays. I just cannot seem to stop…” she made an uncomfortable grimace, as she was one of the people who were physically unable to blush. Lee however kissed her hair. “Neko-chan, do not be silly, that is okay.”
“He’s right. It’s perfectly normal in your condition.” Sakura grinned, feeling slightly better with the easy banter.
Suddenly, San knelt beside the table, distributing tea to them. “Thanks San.”
“Shall I bring in the dinner, master?”
“What do you think Sakura-san?” Lee asked.
“Why not.”
“You heard her.”
“Yes my lord.” The servant shuffled out of the room. Shortly after that, a wonderful smell announced dinner, and a few minutes past, the table was well-stuffed with a several different foods in many dishes of various sizes ranging from a serving of vegetables to the big bamboo pot filled with rice. But the most prominent one was a Yakitori grilling plate, heated by an engraved Ka-ton Ninjutsu and a big plate with grill-ready Yakitori skewers.

“Itadakemasu!” they said and off they went for dinner.
“Where do you get all that food?” Sakura wondered, reaching for a small serving of sweet-pickled vegetables. But just as she laid hands on it, Nekomata’s chopsticks stole a good portion from the small helping. “Hey!”
“Sorry,” the woman mumbled, clearly not sounding sorry at all – she was too busy with snatching food off the plates and bowls and stilling her craving hunger.
Lee sweat dropped. “Sorry Sakura-san. Do you want some Yakitori?”
“Yes please.”
The black-haired Ninja (wearing a green variant of a Jo-nin-uniform) activated the grilling stone with the hand-seal »tiger« and placed a LOT of various skewers on it: tsukune [捏ね, chicken meatballs], yotsumi [四つ身,chicken breast], kokoro (chicken heart), tebasaki [手羽先, chicken wings] green paprika, ikada (筏, winter onion) and green asparagus. Afterwards, he deliberately applied Yakitori sauce on them.
For a while, dinner went on in the true fashion of the invitation, non-formal chit-chat and the newest hospital gossip filling the air, with repeated food-napping by Nekomata.

It was hard for Sakura to watch Lee feeding her gently whenever some of her food was ready. Nekomata always gave her husband a smile and when it happened for the fifth time, Sakura turned her head away.
“How… can you be like that?” she mumbled softly; however it was heard by the other two in the room. “What do you mean, Sakura-san?” the black haired as he gave the young woman at the other side of the table a puzzled look. “It’s just… no never mind. Just forget I said that,” she grinned uncomfortably as she tried to eat her food casually. However when the two kept on looking at her, she lowered her chopsticks.
“How can you two be happy?” “Why shouldn’t we be? We’re married, I’m pregnant, oh, and did I mention that we’re married?” Nekomata replied giving the girl a stern look. Sakura turned her gaze to her plate, but didn’t move much more. “Sakura-san…” Lee said confused. “This is about Sasuke, isn’t it?” Nekomata asked as she grabbed some food from plate. The reply came as in tension of the pink haired’s body. “Did you not kiss that guy on Kakashi-sempai’s wedding?” the pregnant one continued. “I did… but it doesn’t mean anything to me,” came as reply which confused the other two.
“What does it mean? He could leave again… he might die in a battle. What is the use to this all? Why?” Nekomata and Lee watched their friend. “I tried to… I really tried to forget… to accept all of it but… b-but I cannot.”

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Hatake Takamura, Clan Main House, 2000 Zulu.
Sasuke entered the bamboo groove and met up with Kakashi who was at the front door, staring at a mother bird feeding her children. The man smiled as Sasuke approached him. “Konban wa, Kakashi-sensei,” the Uchiha said somewhat downcast it seemed.
“Is something wrong, Sasuke-kun?” Kakashi asked. “Somewhat… Sakura keeps pushing me away. I was actually hoping…” “That we could help you?” Kakashi finished his pupil’s sentence. Sasuke nodded once. “It’s just a guess but I think Sakura has a hard time because Naruto is no more. The two got along really well, worked to together in battle for years. So I think that loosing Naruto is for her as loosing her brother.”
Sasuke eyes averted to the ground as sadness covered his face. Naruto’s death had hit him like a brick in the gut when he had heard about it. But even though he missed his best friend, even though he knew the blonde would never return… he could accept it…in a way. Keep on grieving about it was no use, he knew from experience.
At that point Kamikashi appeared, she had overheard the conversation. “Didn’t Sakura beg us to bring Sasuke-dono back?” she said.
Kakashi looked over to her. “Might be so, but you know her intentions for that.” Sasuke looked confused, not following the conversation at all as Kamikashi nodded and walked over the black raven haired. “Yes, I do. She was hoping she would be able accept Naruto’s death. Because something else she had been longing for was back. It was a comparison.”
“However, it didn’t work, for she still is not able to accept Naruto’s death,” Kakashi added.
“And on top of that, your new, more open behaviour utterly confuses her.” Kamikashi shook her head in complete bewilderment. “Looks like there are two people who need to guide each other out of that dark pit… do you not believe that it is funny that Ex-Avenger-san has more light and clarity than the cherry blossom, itoshii?”
“It is indeed quite ironic. But her way of grieving reminds me an awful lot of Hokage-sama…”
Sasuke stared in disbelieve at his teachers, who in the meantime had led him into the inner garden of the manor. “You mean that she’s running away?”
“Yes. Running away from her grief, and thus preventing herself from being at least a bit happier,” the Phoenix summoner said.
“Running is always easier than fighting, but you cannot keep it up all your life,” Kakashi sighed. “Even I got married.”
The Uchiha sat down on the veranda, facing the old peach tree in the middle of the stone garden of the inner court and sighed. “I have the feeling she doesn’t even realize I’ve come home for good, sensei, Ô-shishou-sama…”
The tall woman shook her head again. “Me too. Those who fight and run away…”
Sasuke’s eyes widened as he recognized the old shinobi saying. “…live to fight another day,” he completed.
“But you still have to get her fighting spirit back on line it seems, Sasuke-kun,” the Copy Ninja remarked. “You had a remarkable help to realize what is there to live for,” he noticed with a glance to his new wife.
Sasuke sweat-dropped. “Yeah, I guess it’s time to return the favour, Ô-shishou-sama… but what can I do?”
“Lucky you. There is one rule about men in love which is universal,” Kamikashi grinned.
“Oh?”
“A man would and can do anything to get the girl. Including making the biggest fool alive out of yourself. And if the issue is still Naruto… take care of what he loved, his girlfriend and the village… I think that would be a good starting advice,” she recapitulated. “Oh, and treating her like a princess and telling her all the time that you love her and would never leave her behind again would do wonders too.”
Now it was Kakashi’s time to blush and sweat-drop, knowing exactly that she referred to his behaviour both fourteen years ago in Kami gakure and nowadays here in Konoha. “Yeah, that is about right. But I think that you should grieve with her a bit, try to understand her grief.”
Sasuke felt a pang inside. With all he had heard of his aniki, Naruto’s death was still something hard to get a grip on. “Looks like I ran away too. After all, I am currently on a constant rollercoaster… Itachi-nii-sama… Naruto… Sakura…”
Kamikashi’s grin subsided into a smile. “Congratulations, Uchiha-sama. Looks like you will finally live to fight another day. But now, how about some dinner?”
The raven-haired youth exhaled audibly. “That would be lovely, Shishou-sama.”
“Well, come in then.”

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The silence which followed that statement was deafening. At least until…
“Still, life goes on. It is even more a reason to try to be happy, Sakura-san.” Lee picked up some tsukune and fed his wife.
“Thank you. Really Sakura, you should try to make up your mind, if you want to honour Naruto’s sacrifice by living to the fullest, or be miserable all your life and deride his memory. And I’ll bet a new kimono on it that after a while you will be all alone if you don’t choose soon,” Nekomata concluded, a pained smile on her face. “Believe me, I know.”
Sakura opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, making a good impression of a goldfish in a bowl. Finally, she asked, “What?”
The greed-clad kunoichi shook her head. “Never wondered why only my father, my uncle and my siblings attended my wedding day?”
“No,” Sakura whispered.
“On the day Kyubi attacked Konoha, of about ninety clan members everyone but four were killed – my parents, my o-to-ji-san and yours truly…” she sighed. “My mother however died in childbirth. After giving birth to Shiori. My father was never the same again. But… we are all still alive; all got our little piece of happiness. Experiencing someone’s death is a lesson in humility, to seize the day and live to the fullest.”
“Nee-san… Ô-kami-sama… I didn’t know…”
Lee pushed away his tray and sipped his tea. “Naruto knew that lesson. Do him a favour and don’t waste your life, Sakura-san.”
The words cut through her confusion like a sword, awakening her old fighting spirit. “You’re right, both of you, Shannaro!”
“Nice to see that there is still some fire in the cherry tree’s heart.” Nekomata snatched the last few grilled skewers from the stone and deactivated it. “So, what’s your next aim?”
Sakura fixated the Yakushis with burning eyes. “Uchiha. Sasuke.”
The Yakushi princess grinned like the proverbial cat with the canary. “Exactly.”

The Konoha Times
Newspaper for the Fire Country, Issued Daily
Apolitical, free of census
Issue of March 26, Year 7 of Godaime Hokage
Announcement Pages
Page 1 of 15
As of yesterday, The Hyuga Clan proudly announces the successful marriage of the nephew of the clan head, Hyuga Neji with the Jo-nin Tenten of the Thousand Blades. Best man and Matron of Honour were the new leaders of the Yakushi clan, Yakushi Nekomata and her consort, Rock Lee. The ceremony was held in Konoha Yakushi-Inari-Taisha by the Grand Priestess Yakushi Shiori.

The Konoha Times
Newspaper for the Fire Country, Issued Daily
Apolitical, free of census
Issue of March 31, Year 7 of Godaime Hokage
Announcement Pages
Page 1 of 15
As of today, the Suzuki Family proudly announces the successful marriage of their trap mistress and oldest daughter, Ayane, with the Green Beast of Konoha, Maito Gai. Best man and Matron of Honour were the leaders of the Hatake clan, Hatake Kakashi and his wife Kamikashi. The ceremony was held in Konoha Yakushi-Inari-Taisha by the Grand Priestess Yakushi Shiori. The couple has leased a house in the Hatake Compound.

March 31. 7th Year of the rule of Godaime Hokage. 0800 Zulu

Konoha Yakushi-Inari-Taisha, Priest Quarters.
“Finally. Closing time.” Tossing her glasses and hair sticks on the nightstand, Shiori dropped her robes, kicked her door shut – and fell flat onto her futon, sprawling into every direction. “I cannot believe I actually worked overtime all the time…”
“Believe me, we did,” the muffled voice of Kaito said through the paper of the walls. “Ow…”
“Yeah. Sleep well o-ji-san.”

The Konoha Times
Newspaper for the Fire Country, Issued Daily
Apolitical, free of census
Issue of May 13, Year 7 of Godaime Hokage
Announcement Pages
Page 15 of 15
As of yesterday, May 12, Hyuga Hinata, formerly heiress to the Hyuga clan, announces proudly the birth of her son, Uzumaki-Hyuga Keiji.

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Konoha Hospital. OB/GYN and paediatrics department, Sakura’s office (Temporarily). June 12, 7th Year of the rule of Godaime Hokage. 1500 Zulu
Sakura was sitting at the desk her sempai usually occupied as a knock called her out of paperwork. “Come in,” she barked. She shouldn’t have. As soon as the door was open, an apparently extremely dizzy Kamikashi fell flat straight through the door. “Kamikashi-sama? Are you alright?” Sakura ran towards her new charge.
“No,” the figure on the floor mumbled. “I’m so dizzy that Kakashi-kun had to help me dress and carry me all the way here.”
Quickly, the pink-haired got the cyan-eyed woman onto an examination gurney – not easy if the person you help was a whole head taller than yourself. Afterwards, she closed the door. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I HAVE NOT A SINGLE FUCKING IDEA!!!” the sword mistress yelled suddenly, causing Sakura to duck. A bit calmer, she added, “I’m tired beyond sleep, I’m dizzy as hell, I’m nauseous and cannot keep food down at all for days already and apparently I am so moody that I cannot control my Sei-jutsu [Voice techs] any more…” She sniffed and sat up.
“Well, that sounds awfully familiar to me… let’s run the full check-up. Undress.” Drawing a blood sample, Sakura rang for a nurse who brought it to the lab. After that, she checked Kamikashi’s vital signs. “Well, from what you tell me and from what I can gather, you’re pregnant, Kamikashi-sama.”
“WHAT!”
“Would you please calm down and use a chakra seal on yourself? Otherwise you’re going to destroy a lot with your kekkei genkai. I know your village has that tech perfected, and that it wears off with giving birth.”
Breathing heavily, Kamikashi nodded, formed a few hand seals and pressed her hands over her lower stomach. “Protector seal: Guardian of life.” As she removed her hands, the kanji for »Waiting« stood there. “There. All but kokoro yomi (Spirit reader) is sealed.” Suddenly she froze.
“What’s wrong?”
Kamikashi shook her head and her usually grim face split into a smile as bright as the sun. “You were right, Sakura-san… I am pregnant.”
Sakura frowned. “How can you tell? No, wait I remember… you can sense divine energy, life force and nature energy.”
“To a certain extent, yes. My Tengan ability is sealed by now… but my phoenix heritage gives me enough awareness to sense the life I am bearing…” Kamikashi was at a loss for words. “I feel somehow stupid for not noticing before…”
“Wow. Makes me wonder why, but then again you were busy fighting the symptoms. Get dressed and let’s just wait for your blood work. Tea?”
“Okay. Yes please.”

Half an hour later, a nurse brought the blood work in. “Thanks.” Sakura checked the results and smiled broadly. “Congratulations Kamikashi-sama, you’re pregnant. When was your last cycle?”
“Err, let me think… The new moon after my wedding, March 30. My cycle is ironically the same as the moon.”
“Well, in that case you are a bit less than three months along.” She took out a scroll with rules. “Come in for check-ups every week. Your weekly appointment is Monday, at 1300 hrs, follow these rules and don’t forget to take these.” With this, she handed over a pill bottle.
“Great, pre-natal vitamins. These pills are huge.”
“Well, they are for you, not for the baby. One a day.”
“Very well then.” Kamikashi got up. “I better go and tell Kakashi. He will be thrilled. Thank you, Haruno-san. Greet Sasuke-sama from me,” she winked as she left.
Sakura blushed. “I will.” After a few minutes, she caught herself daydreaming about her… boyfriend. Over the last two months, they had successfully mended their fences, grieved together over Naruto and their other losses and grown past their issues with each other. And the Uchiha atotori had entered a formal courtship with her, growing into a real romantic relationship, much to the dismay of both the Uchiha-Sasuke-fan-club and the Haruno-Sakura-fan-club. Rumours said that there were even bets on when Sasuke would finally propose to her. She giggled. “Not that I would mind… and I remember that he said he still wants to rebuild his clan – and that’s something a single cannot do, my dear Sasuke-kun. I wonder when he will return from that mission with Anko-san…”

Meanwhile, at the village gate… A rather exhausted Mitarashi Anko and her squad had returned from a long list of messenger duties, the last one going to Kami-gakure and back. “I hope you don’t need to go shopping again, Uchiha.” They had been delayed since Sasuke had taken the opportunity to shop in the famed merchant’s district of the Hikari-no-kuni (Land of Light, old name of Suigen-no-kuni) hidden village and raid the stores of his Shishou’s clan, along with a few others.
“No, I don’t think so Anko-sempai, thank you.”
“Just one thing before I report to Hokage-sama… what is all that stuff for? I mean, most of it is rather girly.”
“It’s for a date sempai,” he stated smugly. “See ya.” Poof! He was gone.
“These two will never fade to amaze the whole village. Well everyone, good job. You can go home.”
“Hai!”