Stumble [Rewrite]

Studious

Sasori was graced with Kou-chan's ever flamboyant presence once more, this time owing the summons a quick fur brushing. He complied without reluctance.

Uchiha Obito is part of the Konoha Keimu Butai, meaning that there must be someone else pulling the strings in the Akatsuki. You could make the assumption that your leader, Yahiko, really is the one in charge this time. Speaking of your leader, the name "Yahiko" seems familiar. I believe he was one of Jiraiya's old students. Perhaps you could research something about that? Also, I've begun an internship under Konoha's Intelligence Sector. I know I can learn more from them.

Try not to cause too much trouble.

He frowned after reading the note. He wasn't too bothered by the entire Yahiko situation, as he was sure that he could dig up that information somewhere—probably in the Amegakure Archives. What Sasori was concerned about was the way Sakura was throwing herself into work instead of enjoying her restarted life.

When he first met her, she was barely fifteen with determination in her eyes and optimism pumping through her veins. She was so lively and naive that he would scoff at how she viewed the world with bright, shining hope. Now, there was none of that. When Sasori saw her for the first time in this timeline, she looked like she had given up.

Sakura told him how she threw herself in front of Naruto and Sasuke so that they would become the great shinobi she knew they'd be one day. What would stop her from doing the same thing the second time around?

He shook his head and sighed.

She needed to be the kid she was and remember that history had yet to write itself.

But for now, he supposed he could push through with his research on Yahiko. Sasori had to be extremely cautious, though. He was starting to draw too much attention.

::

The mornings were hers to do whatever she pleased. At five o'clock pm every weekday, she would report to the T&I building for three hours before she was allowed to go home. Once she entered the Academy, she would only be there Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Sakura couldn't complain with the schedule as it worked well with what she already had going.

Most of her mornings were spent at Training Ground 44, and her early afternoons were dedicated to hanging out with Naruto, sometimes Chouji. On Saturdays, she would go grocery shopping with her mother and help her cook dinner in the afternoon. On Sundays, she'd either train some more or do chores around the house before Kizashi would whip up a big Sunday night dinner.

"How's your internship with Morino-san, sweetheart?" Mebuki asked during one of their calm Sunday dinners.

"Fine. Morino-san said he wants me to focus on tactical and strategic in-tel-li-gience," she answered, now quite used to the way she pronounced her larger words,."I'm pretty much just studying now."

Sakura took a bite of rice as she noticed the way her parents exchanged glances. She sighed inwardly—that was the look she'd see before she'd receive some sort of lecture. Her father cleared his throat and leaned forward on the table.

"So, Sakura-chan, what have you been doing when we're at work? You must be really bored being all alone at home," Kizashi said. Sakura finished chewing her food, hands tightening around her chopsticks. They knew.

"... I..."

She could lie, but that would just make her case worse, wouldn't it? Then again, if she told them what she really did outside the apartment, she could get into even more trouble. Her eyes suddenly grew wide as she considered her train of thought. She was treating her parents like an obstacle.