Island of Storms [Sakura]

Chapter 46 | Learn

Sakura looked down at the paper in her hand before letting out a sigh, laying it down on the desk. She took a deep breath before looking up at him.

"Kurama, The Nine Tails, is in this village, yes." Most of the group stayed quiet, though she heard Yoshino and Aneko ask their husbands about it quietly. "I saved him from being resealed. He lives with us here."

"Lives..?" Inoichi asked hesitantly.

"He is a citizen." The group just looked at her and she kept her gaze.

"I would suggest, if I may," Iro spoke, drawing their attention, "that you should ask those you see on the streets about him and his brother. I feel the peoples' opinion is of an important standard."

"I agree," Sakura started, "rather than listen to me, I think you should talk to the people around town, even the children if you wish to."

"Brother...?" the teacher asked.

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Shikamaru let out a yawn as his parents talked with Temari about their trip. Both women had insisted upon getting some food before they walked back to the Nara compound.

"So the birds surprised you that much?" Temari smiled.

"They seemed like summons, if I'm being completely honest..." Shikaku muttered, taking a sip of the tea they had ordered. "How is it that they live alongside everyone?"

Temari hummed.

"See... I'm not actually sure. I've meant to ask Sakura about it but I haven't gotten the chance yet." She turned to her fiance. "Have you heard anything about it? You're in the Kage tower all the time."

He hummed, thinking back.

"I've heard a few things, but I'm pretty sure it's under lock and key for the moment. The only thing I can say is Lady Katsuyu was a major player."

"It's possible that she knows these birds, or she knows a leader of some sort," his father put forward. The conversation stayed on the ever-present hummingbird population before Shikaku decided he wanted to know his son's take on something he had learned in the Kage's office.

"I'm sure you both know that I have many questions," he started as he leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed. "But I'd like to ask the most pressing one first. Why in heaven and hell are there two tailed beasts living here as citizens?"

Temari opened her mouth to respond, but decided against it. Shikamaru gave a heavy sigh.

"The reason for that would be that Sakura recognized Kurama's intelligence. The fact that he wasn't just some rabid thing," he explained, resting his arms on the table. "She picked up his trust after Naruto lost it. I never believed that he'd wait a month for him to come back in the first place."

"And no one fears them?" Yoshino asked quietly, having noticed a few people were keeping an eye on them.

"Not at all," Temari smiled. "Children even greet them on the streets."

"One of the first laws that was instated was the banning of sealing tailed beasts unless under an extreme emergency which only the Kage, village elder, or daimyo could okay. Breaking that is an act of war and treason should the person be a citizen of Arashi," Shikamaru told them. "They trust her more than they've trusted anyone for a long time, I'm guessing."

"And what have your experiences been with them..?" Shikaku asked.

"They're still getting used to being around people like they are..." Temari sighed, stirring her tea. "They've been chased down for so long they developed instincts. But they're trying their best to pay Sakura back for giving them a safe home. Shukaku has actually been trying to make up for what happened between him and my brother... From what I hear, they're getting on well."

"I've always heard that—" Yoshino started.

"The reason Shukaku was so abusive with Gaara is that he was sealed against his will..." the younger woman interrupted politely. "They were both prisoners, and Shukaku just saw my brother as another human..."

"There's been a lot of suffering on both sides..." Shikamaru muttered. After a long silence, Shikaku gave a heavy sigh.

"Well, there's no changing the fact that they're here. Though I doubt that we'll be running into them in town–"

"You probably will, honestly. They've taken on human forms to make it easier for them to help with the village," Temari informed, holding back a laugh as looks of shock crossed her to-be in-laws' faces. "We could have passed by one of them on the way here, and neither of you would have had a clue."

"I don't know about that," Shikamaru chuckled. "Their chakra is still pretty massive."

"So, when will you be explaining the ring on her finger?" Yoshino asked suddenly, playfully resting her chin in her hand.

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Kosai sat on his doorstep as he waited for Shino to bring his aunt and cousin to where he was. He gave a long sigh as he rested his chin in his palms while he stared out over the railing of the pathway. He had moved into a small house that sat on the road that wound up the hill opposite the Kage tower. He liked the view, along with the fact that it was near a stairway down to the main road.

The house was tiny, having a small kitchen and living room with a door in the back leading to his bedroom and bathroom. It was situated between two larger houses; ones that he guessed had two bedrooms and a larger living area.

He found himself sighing again as he thought about how his grandfather would have reacted to him becoming a shinobi of a different village. How would his uncle have reacted? He wondered if they would have supported him, or if they would have been upset that he left Konohagakure. His thoughts wandered for a bit longer before he spotted people reaching the top of the staircase out of the corner of his eye, turning to find it was who he had been waiting for.

He hopped up, dusting himself off from the training he had been doing that morning on the beach, and greeted them as they approached.

"Hi, Aunt Kurenai..."

"Shino said you wanted to show me something?" she asked quietly, Mirai sleeping in her arms. The boy nodded and waved her over to the door next to his, opening it and urging her to enter. Upon entering, she found a small living room with an attached dining room and kitchen.

"Since this house wasn't bought yet, I thought maybe you'd want to live in it," he whispered. A gentle smile came to her lips as she glanced around the room before carefully hugging her nephew as best she could.

"Thank you."