Little Haruno Sakura has a secret! Everyone thinks she only has one mentor, but she actually has two! One of them is the infamous sushi no shisui while the other is Tobi, her best friend who really resembles the second hokage but shushhh don't tell anyone that!

Training with Shisui-nii (he still insists that she calls him that) has been fun! Shisui's high energy matches perfectly with Sakura's hyper ones which reminds her a lot of Naruto. Recently, Shisui has been teaching her the basic academy ninjutsu, taijutsu and genjutsu. Apparently, it was something important that every student who went to the academy should master before graduating. Sakura pouts because she's been in the academy for practically a long time now (it has only been 3 months), so there's no wonder they can't master it yet if the senseis are starting the lessons so late! If only Shisui could be her academy sensei, he would be so much better than the stupid sensei who would only focus on flattering the clan kids. But then again, Sakura doesn't feel like sharing Shisui or Tobi with the other kids. So maybe it is better this way. 

With Shisui, Sakura finds the passion to learn. There is never a boring training session with him because he always surprises her with new things to learn about! Like that one time, he showed her how to disguise herself as another person. With her almost perfect chakra control, it only took her 3 tries before she could perfectly disguise herself as Shisui including the smallest freckles he had that even he did not know about. They celebrated it with a round of anmitsu (Shisui's treat of course!).

Today was another training session, and while Sakura waits for Shisui, she breathes in the cold air only to find herself suddenly walking around Konoha at night. The air was suddenly warmer and the surroundings quiet. It seems so real, yet something was missing. She does not see Tobi anywhere around her. Sakura knows something is odd. She closes her eyes and meditates.

'This is not real!' She tells herself. Her mama would never let her go anywhere around Konoha at night without supervision and Tobi wasn't even there with her!

The illusion dispels and Sakura finds herself in an empty training ground with her two mentors standing in front of her.

"You did great, Sakura-chan!" Shisui gushes out loudly

Tobi nods in agreement, "Ah, you did well." 

"Shisui-nii! What was that?" Sakura jumps up and asks, curiosity piqued because she had never experienced something like that before. How could the dark night vanish right back into the day? Had that been magic? Is Shisui-nii a wizard? Was he more than a sushi ninja?

"That was a genjutsu. It's an illusion that can be manipulated to the creator's will. It usually shows something familiar or plays with the victim's fear. You've got a natural resistance towards it."

With furrowed brows, Sakura tilt her head in confusion, "What does that mean? Does that mean I can't be tricked?"

Shisui hums and nods, "You will notice something is wrong before an average ninja does, but that doesn't mean you can't be tricked. Ninjas stronger than you who have mastered this can still easily trick you,"

Scenarios upon scenarios play themselves in Sakura's mind. What if someone stronger than her tricks her to think Sasuke is stronger than her? What if they trick her to tell her mama all the pranks she and Naruto have played on Mizuki-sensei? The look of horror on Sakura's face rushed Shisui into reassuring her. 

"Why are you worried? This is where I will come in! Am I not your amazing, handsome and strongest sensei? Not only will you build a resistance for it, but I will also help you to master how to cast genjutsu yourself!"

Sakura relaxes in relief. Being tricked is a no-no, but tricking someone? Now that's more like it! Maybe she can use this genjutsu to trick her parents into thinking she's studying at home when in reality she's off to some Naruto's pranking shenanigans. Sakura nods with a new determination. She is going to master this genjutsu no matter how long it takes!

Tobirama who was watching the pair with interest could already feel his 'Sakura is being mischievous again' senses tingling. He knows it is only a matter of time until her next prank happens and she will be grounded from her reading time, again.

::

"And then, Shisui turned into Mama and it became really scary! She found out about our prank! She even forbids me from hanging out with Naruto!"  Sakura explains animatedly, her cheeks turning red from the colder wind and temperature. Winter is approaching soon. This has been their schedule for some time now. Every other day, after the academy ends, Sakura will meet Shisui for a training session where he will teach her something new. And when that ends, she will walk her way back to her house, rambling about her day to her not-so-imaginary friend, Tobi. 

"That sounds very scary." Tobirama nods. His hand twitched in her direction. It was the only sign he wanted to reach out to adjust the scarf around her neck but he knew that his hand would only go through nothing but air. He should remind Sakura to wear thicker clothes from now on. Perhaps something like his gear would be useful... 

"It is! Luckily it was only a genjutsu! I wouldn't know what to say to Naruto if it wasn't!" And luckily enough, Sakura understands his intention and adjusts her red scarf for his sake and her cold cheeks. Sakura wouldn't lie that she was envious that Tobi have no sensation of the cold or heat.

Tobi smiles and raises a brow, "Naruto is really that precious to you?"

"Of course! He doesn't have anyone to look after him, and I was his first friend so it's my job to protect him, ya know?" She explains and Tobirama understands.

Just like how she was to him, that was how Naruto was to her. 

Tobirama nods, "Well, then you'll have to get stronger."

"Of course, I want to be as strong as you, Tobi!" 

"And you will be as strong as me, if not more. That I have no doubt." He assures her and Sakura beams with pride, some would say she even preened like a cat. Tobirama could already see the glimpses of one S-rank pink-haired ninja. When that happens, Tobirama just hopes he will be there to see it. 

"Have anyone told you, you're the best, Tobi? Because you are!" 

Tobirama's chest puffed in pride, but silently pondered the innocent question. Has anyone ever told him that? 

As far as he remembered, the people around him would praise Hashirama instead of him—even their father had treasured Hashirama over Tobirama but Tobirama didn't think he minded it. He's not the type to be loved, doted on or praised. That had always been Hashirama's role, not his. Even when Hashirama had unfortunately passed, people always remembered Hashirama as their esteemed leader and his contributions. It has never been Tobirama. Never has and perhaps never will.

Tobirama didn't think he mind it then, but strangely he feels a sense of emptiness. 

"I cannot say there was anyone who had." He responds quietly, frowning at the new uncomfortable feeling within him.

Sakura nods but frowned. Tobi has helped her a lot. Without him, she would have never had the courage to speak to Naruto, stand up for herself with Sasuke or find out that Hashirama was actually a huge gambler. It is surprising that no one had acknowledged him when he has all sorts of knowledge and inventions. But he has her now. So she will tell him now, and she will tell him again and again as the years gone by, that he was in fact the best.

"Tobi, I'm gonna say it now and I'll say it whenever you want. You are the best. Never doubt that!"

"You too, Sakura. You too. Now let's get you home before you get grounded again."

Like a light bulb that just switches on, Sakura begins to panic and quickly runs home. "Oh no, we're late for dinner! Mama is gonna be so mad!"

Tobirama smiled at the little figure running around, amused but already getting used to his ward's antic. It is times like this when a child would innocently run back home at the thought of being grounded instead of running away from enemy ninjas that made him really appreciate the peaceful times.

This was the Konoha he had helped build up.

This was everything he had worked hard for.

This was everything Hashirama had sacrificed for. All for the sake of the future generation.

"Come on Tobi, keep up!"

Sakura's voice snaps him out of his stupor and he quickly jogs to catch up with his little troublemaker. 

::

Itachi didn't know what to expect when he returned from his mission. But it was definitely not to the news of his jounin cousin who had way more free time on his hands finding himself an apprentice who turns out to be little Haruno-chan who had punched his foolish little brother.

He was gone for a week! A week and Shisui has found himself an apprentice who his brother tails regularly leaving Itachi sulking because his little brother is not as interested in training with him.

"Sorry aniki, maybe next time! I have to follow Sakura and make sure she's not bullying Shisui-nii!" Little Sasuke did not even spare him a glance as he rushes to put on his sandals before sprinting away. Like deja vu, a  small part of Itachi thinks this is karma for him.

But this was already the third time, Itachi sighs. Between his missions, and performing his duty as the clan's heir, training with little Sasuke was the only time he could let his guard down. It was the only time he could build memories for what was about to come. All for the sake of his foolish little brother.

Maybe it is time he pays them a visit and finds out the truth behind this silly game his cousin is playing.

—To be continued—

Yall:

Hiya, we're back with another chapter after so long! Regretfully this has been in the drafts for a year now but here it is.

Hope everyone is doing great!

If you noticed the discrepancy in Shisui's rank, well the explanation for that is when I first introduce Shisui, Tobirama thought he was a chunin but Shisui was actually already a jounin. It is intentional and meant to be Tobirama and Sakura's mistake. And if you're asking what the heck is a jounin doing with academy children? That is what Itachi wants to find out and it is up to our poor ol' Sushi no Shisui to explain.

Anmitsu あんみつ: A traditional Japanese dessert that is made of white/semi-translucent jelly. I would like to think that Shisui got Sakura this exact anmitsu because Sakura likes the panda.