It was still winter and snow lazily floated down from the sky. Sakura was clothed in a pair of black unisex pants and a long sleeved red turtleneck. A shoulder bag sat against her hip, holding the scrolls she needed and a few pieces of spare clothes. She really hoped she could gather all these allies and bring Otogakure out of the dirt.

'I wonder why you can't apply this fierce loyalty with Konohagakure.'

Sakura grit her teeth.

'What? You were born there. Raised there. And you left with the man who was once loyal to that snakeskin. Such a lower piece of shit you've become, abandoning your friends for a place that meant nothing to you.'

'You were the one who told me to do it in the first place!'

'And guess who I am. I'm still you, so you know I'm telling you nothing but the harsh truth.'

She exhaled loudly.

'What was that thing Kakashi told us? Ah, yes. In the shinobi world, those who break the rules are trash, that's true, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash. And look here, you've managed to do both in one fell swoop. Bravo. You're a true hero.'

Sakura pressed two fingers to her temple and attempted to soothe her frayed nerves. Inner had been more vocal than normal, giving her more pulsing headaches than she needed. She sighed and tried to focus on the path ahead of her, not expecting the set of talons that suddenly dug into her shoulder. Sakura winced and saw that it was an owl that looked much like the one she healed before arriving in Otogakure.

"Um... hello?" she addressed reluctantly. "Can I... do something for you?"

Its eyes bore into her a long while. "I've heard many things about you, Haruno Sakura," it, no, she crooned. "And from what I've seen thus far, I would say that those things are true. Really, I first saw those things when you took the time out of your journey to heal my wing. For that, I give thanks."

Sakura blinked. She stared at the bird more intently, barely making out the summoning symbol on her stomach. It was blended brilliantly with the color of her feathers, giving an understandable reason to why she hadn't seen it the first time.

"I—you're welcome, I guess. So..."

"Bunko."

"Bunko-san, what have you heard of me? I think the word on the street is that I'm missing and have been issued an alert if anyone from Konoha sees me. A lot of people have also started to call me a traitor, so there's that too," she remarked numbly. And it was true. She heard that the council had ruled her disappearance an act of treason, and if she was spotted, she would be forcefully brought back to her home village and tried in the court.

Normally, such aggressive action wouldn't be taken against someone who wasn't a confirmed missing-nin, but she wasn't an ordinary case. She was the apprentice of the Hokage, and with such privilege, she was granted access to restricted areas and to information vital to Konoha's core. Her leaving plus knowledge that she probably shouldn't have been allowed with equaled someone the council couldn't take a chance with.

"I wasn't speaking about those aspects. Titles are never important. I was referring to your nature," Bunko replied. Sakura's brow furrowed.

"Nature? Chakra nature?"

"No. Owls have a very sharp sense of sight, you see, far better than any humans. In addition to us being able to utilize chakra, our eyes have somewhat evolved. We are able to see through any lie, genjutsu, or intent. When you healed me, I saw something interesting in you. You're a gentle soul, kind and caring. Your intentions are pure and yet, you leave your village to rebuild another. It's strange," she mused. Bunko flapped her wings a bit.

"I'm... not so sure how to explain it. I've made too many mistakes in my other village and I hoped..." she trailed off. Hoped? What had she hoped for? The owl peered at her profile.

"... Hoped you could better your wrongs?" she suggested. Sakura let her lips turn up into a weary smile.

"Yeah. Something like that."

It was quiet for a few minutes, the both of them reveling in the silence and the light brush of cold air that rippled through them.

"Could I accompany you on your journey?" Bunko asked. Sakura scratched the back of her head.

"Sure. I don't mind."

::

Shinobi Academy Curriculum

Reading, writing, and mathematics will all be the same. Science classes will begin to include the borderline basics of anatomical studies. Provide an extra course for those interested in going into the medical field. Geography will be focused on mainly Ta no Kuni in the first three years of school. In the last three years, change it to world geography. Make sure these students know their enemies well enough to know what to expect.

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday will be taijutsu/ninjutsu/training classes. Physical education days, if you so choose to think. Ninjutsu that will be required to graduate are the bunshin and the henge. Tuesdays and Thursdays are weapons classes. In the last year, genjutsu will be introduced and graduation will also require the student to dispel themselves from the lowest ranking genjutsu. The use of kunai and shuriken will absolutely be taught from the start. In the last few years, introduce tantos and senbon.

If a student is having trouble, tutoring will be available to them.

Special kunoichi classes will be held after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If any boys wants to join the class, let them. It will be held from 4-6 pm.

The school day will be eight hours long with a one hour long lunch period. Due to the lengthy day, Saturdays and Sundays are free.

It also seems that the Academy is lacking in suitable sensei. I'll find some shinobi to fill the positions or find someone to retrain the current ones.

The rest of the page as well as the next listed small quirks and details that needed to be added or removed to the syllabus. Kabuto tapped his fingers on the desk as his chin rested on his open palm. Even he had to admit that this plan outline was a little more advanced than normal, but nonetheless one of the best ideas he heard from Sakura. Actually, essentially every idea he heard from her was a really good and well thought out idea.

He tossed his glasses on the desk and leaned his head back against the wall.

"But are you able to offer her your complete loyalty?"

"I'm not going to force you to stay."

He'd been lost for so long he didn't know what to think anymore.

When he worked under Danzo, he never kept one identity or an extended amount of time. First he was sent as a Kumogakure shinobi, next a Kirigakure, then a Sunagakure, after that an Iwagakure, and finally, a Konohagakure. There were so many individuals he had to take cover as, so many people he had to become, that he didn't know who the real him was anymore.

Even in his loyalty with Orochimaru, he was never completely loyal. Yes, he did save Orochimaru's life many times over the years, but he occasionally acted against him. Kabuto remembered every time he had knowingly and willingly gave information who were major enemies of his former master. It was so simple.

Orochimaru told him who to be: attentive, compliant, charismatic, confident, positive, reliable, respectful, and committed. Kabuto had done everything in his power to become that person and put on the perfect display. Show. Act. He simply did what he did best, and that was to follow orders.

It was all he'd ever done and the only thing he learned to do.

His temple began to throb mercilessly, leading him to sink down in the corner of the office, knees pressed to his chest and head held firmly in his hands.

Why couldn't she have made it easy?

Why couldn't she have told him who to be?!

::

"Haruno Sakura..." Pein mused, surprised by such a development. He flipped through the notes Zetsu provided for him. Due to such a disinterest in Ta no Kuni, not one of the major shinobi villages had caught wind that Otogakure (if they knew that Otogakure existed) had gained a new leader. And he was glad for that. The more people ignored the new found occupation, the more interest he could invest.

"The people have yet to form an opinion on her. Three weeks have passed and she's making changes, but they aren't sure of her intentions."

"Really? How fascinating."

It was a risky game he was playing, being so interested in a run down village. Amegakure was sorely at a loss of political status. There weren't any villages that were willing to form treaties despite the fact that his village was flourishing quite nicely. True, Amegakure wasn't the friendliest of places, but Pein did try to make better political relations, but no one took up his offer.

If Otogakure, though, was able to become something great...

Pein took out a pad of papers from his desk and ripped off the top sheet. He clicked his pen and wrote a particularly dangerous set of numbers before handing it to Zetsu.

"A check?" Zetsu questioned.

"A small donation," Pein clarified. "To give this village a nudge in the right direction."

Zetsu inspected the check, eyes widening considerably as he read the amount. No, this couldn't be right. Had his leader put too many zeroes on the figure?

"This... I hope you know you're making an enormous gamble with this Otokage."

He did know what he was doing. If the person who ruled Otogakure had been able to defeat one of his Akatsuki members, surely she was capable of raising it to its greatest potential.

::

Sakura sank down neck deep in the ryokan's outdoor onsen and welcomed the feeling of warm water washing over her tense muscles. Bunko opted to stay in the room and maybe go out for a meal or rabbits or squirrels. Sakura didn't mind. The onsen was empty and enjoyable, giving her time to reflect on her plans.

The first place she planned to go was Nadeshiko Village. It was the farthest to travel to, being on one of the surrounding islands near Water Country, and it was brimming with powerful kunoichi. The term "kunoichi" being used because of their matrilineal line. A staggering percentage of their population were women and their forces were incredibly powerful. If she could convince them to join in an alliance with her, she could request some of their kunoichi to come to her village to review her Academy and genin sensei.

And if possible, maybe some of them could stay a little longer and teach some classes or train genin teams of their own. Doing so would quickly strengthen trustworthy relations between Nadeshiko and Oto. To her, the idea was brilliant.

'What makes you think that their leader, Shizuka, would want to ally with your shit-stain of a village?'

Sakura sighed. And there went her peace and quiet.

'Allies are allies for a reason. To be stronger. Otogakure will only drag Nadeshiko down with it.'

'... I'm getting real tired of your voice. Why can't you just go away and leave me alone?'

Inner laughed. 'Where's the fun in that?'

The door to the onsen slid open and a woman stepped onto the stone flooring. Sakura watched with furrowed brows as she slipped into the water. The stranger was covered in welts and bruises with half her face suffering the scarring of a third degree burn. Not to mention that her chakra levels were ridiculously low.

"Um, ma'am?" Sakura called out softly. The woman looked up.

"I'm sorry. Is my appearance disturbing you?" she asked.

"No no, not at all! I just noticed your injuries and was wondering if I could heal them? They look far from comfortable."

The woman looked at her curiously. "Oh. Thank you...?"

"Haruno Sakura," Sakura introduced as she waded over to the older woman's spot, hands glowing a vibrant green. The woman smiled.

"Rinha Marisu. It's a pleasure to meet you, Haruno-san."

As Sakura began to work on her shoulder, she couldn't help but gain a nagging feeling at the back of her head. She heard that name somewhere before, but where? The onsen was filled with light chatter, the two of them enjoying the easy company.

"So what is a talented medic like yourself doing out here, Haruno-san? It's mostly small villages at this end of Yu no Kuni. Could you be a traveling doctor?" Marisu asked. The moved to sit on one of the stones where Sakura began to heal the angry red marks on the woman's back.

"Not at all, actually," she replied. "I recently became the leader of Otogakure."

"Otogakure? That run down village?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah. That one. I'm trying to become allies with other villages to try and gain some help. I have faith in my village. One day, if I work hard enough, the village will be as great as it deserves to be," she said. She moved her hands up to the side of Marisu's face to try and heal the scarring. She didn't know if it were possible at this point, depending on how bad the burn was, how long it went untreated for, and how old it really was.

"... How bad is the hospital system?" Marisu questioned suddenly. Sakura sighed.

"Not as well as I hoped," she said. "I try to train the doctors and medics there as much as I can, but with everything else I have to take care of I've only managed about five hours of total training. It's not nearly enough and I haven't found anyone to appoint as Chief of Medicine."

Marisu cast her eyes to the side. In one point in time, she was a village leader herself. She knew the struggles Sakura spoke of, and even though the village she managed was not nearly as large or attention-demanding as Otogakure, she empathized with the other woman.

"I'm a medic too, you know. As well as a kunoichi," Marisu commented somberly. "The wounds on my body are new, but the scarring on my face has been there a whole year."

"A medic?"

"Yes. My entire clan was renowned for their medical ninjutsu in past wars."

Then it clicked.

"That Rinha Clan? And you're the sole kunoichi that became the only survivor of the Third Shinobi World War?" Sakura questioned incredulously. The two of them stepped out of the onsen and went back into the ryokan to change into their yukata.

"How do you know of them? You don't look old enough to have lived through the war. And if you were alive, I doubt you would've been old enough to remember," Marisu said.

"My... associate... mentioned your clan among the ones that suffered immensely in Ta no Kuni. You weren't on my list of allies, but now that I remember how powerful your clan was with medical ninjutsu, you seem like the perfect person to take over the hospital. You have the experience, the techniques..." Sakura looked down at the ground thoughtfully as she walked down the hall beside Marisu. "... You're more than qualified."

Marisu resisted the urge to sigh. This was how it was with all people of power she came across. Once they learned of who she was, they'd try and force her into working for them.

"I'd love for you to take the position," the Otokage continued, still somewhere in her thoughts. "You'd be a huge help, but it's your life. You don't owe me anything so I don't expect you to take me up on it."

Marisu's steps slowed to a stop, her face contorting in one of confusion. Sakura paused as well to look up at her companion.

"Rinha-san?"

"This is my room," she replied, pointing to the side. Sakura's face lit up a wide smile.

"Oh. Well, sleep on what I said, okay? I'm going to leave tomorrow morning at seven so I hope I'll have your answer by then. Have a nice night, Rinha-san."

"... You too, Haruno-san."

In her room, Marisu stood in front of a mirror, inspecting the healing done to her face. It was still scarred, but it was healed to the point where she could call her face normal save for the slight bumps and discoloration. If she were to have healed her own face, the probably would have ended up with the same result. Haruno Sakura was more than talented if her skills said anything about it.

She let her dark bangs fall to cover the burnt half of her face and left the bathroom. The position as Chief of Medicine didn't seem like such a bad deal. And if she had to choose wandering around aimlessly for the rest of her days or serve under someone like Haruno Sakura...

... Maybe rejoining a village wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.

The following morning, Marisu sat on one of the many chairs in the lobby waiting patiently for Sakura's arrival. At precisely seven, the aforementioned walked straight into the lobby, black cloak billowing behind her every step.

"Ah, good morning, Rinha-san. Have you considered the position?"

"I have," she replied. Gold eyes glimmered brightly as she offered Sakura a small bow. "And I'll await your return back in Otogakure."

Sakura couldn't have grinned wider.

::

EDITED 2.16.18