heritage

Chapter Seventeen: Initiate

 "You can choose neither the day nor the hour."

          The Hokage's office has not changed much. Not even the charged atmosphere has changed. Not with her grandpa fuming just a few feet away from her, his fists balled at his side and his eyes narrowed in a harsh glare at the Sandaime. He made for an imposing sight. Looming far above any of the shinobi in the room, her grandpa is a threatening figure of fury and clear, well-muscled strength. He hasn't aged a day since she last saw him.

"Hiruzen." Riku-ji grits out, after a long moment of silence. The Hokage tilts his chin in acknowledgement, the movement almost indiscernable. Sakura tilts her head at him, the stress in his signature causing her own to churn with concern. She doesn't know what will happen from here on out.

"If you will wait a moment Riku-kun," Hokage-sama begins, the words clearly not a suggestion, "I must check on Genin Haruno first." Sakura can see the instant her grandpa's neck burns red, both anger and frustration bringing his chakra to a boiling point. Instead of letting it go into an outburst, however, he jerks his chin in a nod. It would be a surprise, if Sakura didn't know how much he cared about her.

"Quickly." Riku-ji demands, the word an agreement despite the immense disrespect. The Sandaime gives her grandpa the nastiest glare she has ever seen, the angry annoyance in his chakra almost scorching. Sakura briefly wonders what keeps her Hokage from decking her grandpa in the face, but quickly lets the thought go. She would rather just be grateful that neither has come to blows just yet.

"Sakura-chan," the Saindaime addresses her warmly, a fair few degrees different from the bruning ire he had just thrown at her grandpa. "It is to my understanding that I have failed you." Sakura winces at the bluntness of the statement. Her chest pangs, her skin itching. How could she ever think that the Hokage has ever failed her? Sakura, specifically? The thought is foreign, unsettling.

"I believe fault should lie with the ones who have caused the harm, Hokage-sama." Sakura redirects, the skin of her forehead wrinkling at the thought of such misplaced blame. The Sandaime has always given everything to Konoha. More than he should have, if what the history books Sakura has read have any accuracy to them.

"Then I'm afraid I am at fault." The Hokage pulls his pipe away from his mouth, exhaling a puff of smoke as a glum air seems to overcome him as he finishes. "For allowing that traitor far too many mercies than he deserved." Sakura can't help but glance at her grandpa as his signature almost sizzles at the admission. It is no surprise when it is immediately followed by Riku-ji running his mouth.

"You are the one who gave Shimura the power to do this?" Sakura's grandpa interrupts the Hokage. She has to remind herself that Riku-ji is basically a kage himself, being the shogun of Mountain Country. If he weren't she is sure that he would have either been sent through the wall already. Or dragged out by the Hokage's ANBU guard. She bites her lip in panic as she quickly turns her head back.

Chakra crackles between the Sandaime's fingers as he places his hands on his desk in a slow, controlled manner. Then his joint flex, splinetering the top layer of wood. It is a silent threat. As if he is seriously considering getting up and smacking some sense into Riku-ji. Morbidly, Sakura wonders who would win. Even if she has the feeling she already knows the answer.

"I am not the one who gave the order. Nor the order from seven years ago, if that is also what you are implying." The Sandaime growls out, clearly irritated with Riku-ji's attitude and continued interferences. To be honest, Sakura is as well. As much as she loves ger grandpa and has finally reconciled with him, she doesn't like how he treats the leader of her village. Even if they clearly know each other from somewhere.