Otokage

December

Winter in Oto was colder than in Konoha, but it wasn't terribly awful. There weren't any harsh blizzards or unforgiving temperatures, but there was a heavier snowfall. Though it wasn't a problem as it seemed to make most of the village residents happier. Many children played out on the streets and it was nearing the time when school, both civilian and shinobi, let out for holiday vacation.

Sakura leaned back in her seat clad in white pants and a light green sweater. Only recently had she been let out of the hospital and, after an unbelievingly long reprimanding from Kabuto, was allowed back to completing office work. There would be no training for her the following few months nor would she be allowed to leave the village during her recovery time. One reason was her health concern, and the other was the whole Jomae incident. A massacre—as it had been reported to the Great Shinobi Nations. She had to keep a low profile for as long as these investigations took place.

It made her sick to think of all the people that died by her hands. But they had tried to take the lives of the innocent—it had to be done.

"Sakura-sama, has she started to speak to you again?" Kabuto asked as he placed a plate of dango on her desk. She shook her head.

"No. She actually hasn't appeared since I woke up in the hospital, so I think that's a good thing," she replied. It was as if Inner had never existed. There was no mock or chime, not even an inkling at the back of her head to watch out for whatever she'd say. It was a relieved and welcomed feeling she hadn't experienced in years.

"Good," he said. "Now there's less distraction and you have no reason to slack off."

Heartless.

::

There were two knocks on her door.

"Enter."

Sasame poked her head through the doorway. "Sakura-sama, the leader of Amegakure is here to see you," she informed. Sakura straightened up in her seat and motioned for Sasame to bring them in. Both her's and Kabuto's minds went blank when a man they've never seen before, accompanied by Konan, slowly walked into the office. His hair was a dulled maroon that hid half of his incredibly pale face.

"How wonderful to meet you face to face, Sakura-san. My name is Nagato, the true leader of the Akatsuki as well as the head of Amegakure," he greeted. As Sakura shook his hand, she wondered how a frail, sickly man could have such power in his palms. Then again, she really couldn't say anything when she herself, with the situation she encounter, had such a high standing.

"Pleasure to meet you, Nagato-san. What is it I can help you with?"

One of his bony arms were linked with Konan's as she helped lower him into a seat.

"I came to talk about the reason I sent my members here in the first place. I have a plan in mind to... how do you say... expand Akatsuki's reaches. If our goals had struggled to be met before, there certainly isn't anything holding us back now with another capable village backing us up," he commented. Sakura laced her fingers together and leaned forward a bit.

"Goals?" she asked. "What kind of goals are you talking about?"

His face was blank when he answered her question. "World peace through the means of tailed-beat coercion."

...

"... Could you please explain that?"

::

"Sorry Kakuzu-san, Kisame-san. Sakura-sama is in a very important meeting right now and I'm afraid that I can't let you see her," Sasame said. Her and Kotohime stood on either side of the office door in their ANBU gear. Kisame glanced down the hallway and noticed that it was more crowded than it would normally be. Someone from the big leagues must be in there.