Stumble [Rewrite]

Outset

"What's the matter with you? Showing up at my training session like that could've gotten us both killed!" Sakura hissed. Kakashi had called an early day half past eleven in the morning, leaving the three ample time to spend with their families. Sasuke and Naruto, at least. Sasori rolled his eyes and motioned her to join him on his tree branch.

"We're fine, aren't we? I visited you and now we can sort all this stuff out. You've gone crazy, and I'm here to find out why."

"Who was it who told Kisame who we really were because he was making a joke?"

"I came here to pay you a nice visit and I'm honestly feeling so attacked right now."

She sighed and went to sit beside him on the branch. They had, possibly, thirty minutes until Kakashi finished with his meeting. "We'll make this quick. I tell you about my plan for Itachi-san, you tell me about Hoshigaki, then you'll hang around for a few days if anything happens," she said. He gestured towards her and leaned back against the trunk.

"Children first."

Sakura scoffed. "Ever since Dan-sama became Hokage, he's taking a more amicable and less domineering tenure than Tsunade's. He's looking for world peace, she didn't," the girl explained. She pointed towards the compound lying on the outskirts of Konoha. "Clans are important here and there are four noble ones: the Uchiha, the Hyuuga, the Akimichi, and the Aburame. The only ones to worry about are the the first two."

She brought up her hand and held up four fingers.

"The Akimichi are big on defensive maneuvers and mass destruction, but are a kind people. I met Akimichi-san five years ago, and he appreciates that I've become friends with his son. He loves it when Naruto, Shikamaru, and I come over. He's far from being a problem and he never makes rash decisions."

Her pinky went down, leaving three fingers.

"The Aburame specialize in reconnaissance and infiltration. Aburame-san doesn't like sitting through the clan meetings or being involved in village politics as long as the clan is safe and happy. Him and his son are my sources for insect-based poisons, antidotes, and medication. If you give him enough reason for something, he wouldn't think too much of it and back it up if it benefits the majority. Which leaves us with the Hyuuga and the Uchiha."

Her ring finger went down next.

"The Hyuuga and the Uchiha, arguably, are the most powerful clans in the village. Their relations with each other are rocky, but Sasuke and Hinata are close friends now, as well as members of their clans' main houses. Rivalry can be satiated for now, but can be advanced with two things. Marriage and positions of power."

Sasori looked at her like she'd grown a second head. Not because of the plan she had so ingeniously created, but because she hadn't included him in her plotting from the very beginning. How inconsiderate.

"Itachi-san agrees most with Dan-sama's ideals. He loves his clan, but he loves his village even more hence the massacre in the other timeline," Sakura continued. He followed along closely, having been told of those circumstances a few years back. "If you put him in position of Hokage, tensions between Konoha and his clan would dissipate. The Hyuuga, not to be left out, would be offered a high position with great influence. ANBU Director, maybe? I'm thinking of putting Neji in that one."

He gave her a blank stare.

"That leaves Sasuke with possible claim as clan head, and either Hinata or Hanabi leading the Hyuuga. We still have years to work out the bugs, but that's all relative. There. Your turn," she said. She waved her hand for him to elaborate on his accidental reveal. He shrugged.