Otokage

Sky

"An... Akatsuki ring?"

She took it out of the box and inspected it closely. It had to be. It looked similar to Sasori's—same general shape and design, but with a slate blue colored stone with the kanji for 'sky' in the center. Sakura nearly dropped it when it began to glow a faint lavender.

'I need to get this to Tsunade-shishou right—'

'It was delivered to you, wasn't it? Keep it a while,' Inner goaded. 'Looking at it alone for a few seconds couldn't hurt, could it?'

'... A few seconds. That's it.'

She inspected the ring even closer. The metal was something she'd only seen once or twice in her entire shinobi career. It was the artificial type that acted as a chakra receiver. Sakura was certain that it had something to do with the sealing of the tailed beasts and should have been delivered to Tsunade the minute she realized what it was. Looking back into the box, she saw a folded note and a small scroll.

Haruno Sakura-sama,

Isn't it interesting to have received that ring? Such a curious, intriguing, inquisitive thing. Can you recognize to whom it belongs? Please, take a guess—I don't think you'll be wrong. Sasuke has gone, but that was his plan. But for me; I'm here to persuade as much as I can. Haven't you desired to be someone great? Here's you chance, I assure you, it's fate. And please disregard of how this note rhymes. Even I cannot explain his insanity this time.

Sakura didn't quite understand what this was telling her. What she could gather from this was that the Akatsuki ring belonged to Orochimaru, that vile snake, and that Sasuke was gone from his tutelage.

'Looks like your opportunity has finally come.'

'What opportunity? This is insuring that this is from an enemy and should be given to Tsunade-shishou. Now.'

'You'll regret it if you do.'

'Regret what?'

'Read the postscript.'

P.S.- The ring goes on your left pinky finger.

No, absolutely not. She wasn't about to do something without knowing the consequences. Who was she kidding? She wasn't about to do something so stupid like putting on something that once belonged to Orochimaru. Sakura set the ring down and picked up the scroll and opened it.

Why did it have to be a summoning scroll?

Sakura dropped the scroll like a hot plate and flipped over her couch as she whipped out a kunai. The smoke soon cleared, revealing a man she had no plan of seeing anytime soon.

"Kabuto," she sneered. He inclined his head.

"Sakura-sama," he replied, bowing deeply in respect. She gave him an uncertain stare and tightened the grip on her weapon. He straightened up not long after and offered a warm smile. "There's no need to point such an offensive thing at me. I mean you no harm."

"And you expect me to believe that?"

He reflected on her words. "No. I suppose I wouldn't believe me either. I'm here on one of Orochimaru-sama's last and greatest wishes. Will you allow me to shine light on the situation?" he questioned. Sakura gave him a dubious look before lowering her kunai.

"One wrong move and I'll activate the genjutsu trap in this apartment," she said. Kabuto nodded.

"Of course. Orochimaru-sama knew that one day, Uchiha Sasuke would turn on him and murder him. Inevitably. So he devised a plan. Once he was dead for good, he would entrust everything to a successor of his choosing. I had been the successor previously, but I denied the position. I couldn't see myself in that place of central power," he explained. She eyed him curiously.