Darkest Before Dawn

Throwing Assumptions

   Sakura slept for a full eighteen hours before Ibiki decided that it was time for another training session. He waited for her at the training ground, a couple of dozen kunai at his feet. Sakura skipped in, her whole being refreshed and cheerful.

   "What are we learning today, sensei?" she chirped curiously. Ibiki smirked and gestured to the weapons on the grassy terrain.

   "We'll try out your accuracy and power. Over there on that tree is a target." he said, pointing to his left, "I want you to stand fifteen feet away and throw twenty kunai at the center circle."

   She puffed out her cheeks and picked up a kunai. She then stood at the fifteen foot mark and took aim.

THUNK

   It hit dead center.

   Nineteen kunai later, fourteen were in the center circle, two were in the second ring, one was in the third, and two were in the fourth. Most of them were lodged 1/4 of the way in the bark.

   "I... have severely underestimated you." he muttered, staring blankly at the red and white target. The girl flashed him a cheeky grin before yanking the kunai from the wood. She had 75% accuracy. And she was only five years old. Saying that he underestimated Sakura was a complete understatement. Sakura Haruno was a prodigy no matter what angle you viewed it from. If she kept this pace, she wouldn't even need to attend the Academy. Her chakra control was impeccable, her intelligence was that of a chuunin if not higher, and really, a rival for the esteemed Itachi Uchiha.

   It was a shame that her parents had to die, and an even bigger shame to see all Sakura's talent be worked towards revenge. Ibiki sighed as he watched her try to perfect her throwing technique. It was a shinobi like her that he had to watch out for. With great amounts of determination, skills and brains to back it up, and virtually nothing to keep her rooted to a village, who's to stop her if she ever decides to leave Konoha?

~

   "Tenzou-san!" Sakura exclaimed, running up to the ANBU and hugging his leg, not minding the others that looked at her oddly, "I haven't seen you in a long time! You didn't sneak out of the hospital again, did you?"

   Tenzou's ears turned red when his team members chuckled at him. His female teammate, Kagura, bent down and squished Sakura's chubby face.

   "Aw, you're soo cute!" she cooed, "Where did you find this adorable girl, Tenzou?! You're such a pedo."

   "It's not like that! Sakura's the one who hangs around Ibiki-san all the time and I met her at the ANBU building!" he protested, his face growing darker. Kagura laughed and finally let go of Sakura's cheeks. The pink-haired child smiled up at her, causing Kagura to coo at her more. Towa stepped up to Tenzou and elbowed his side lightly.

   "That's the kid that's always around Ibiki? I thought it was only a rumor." he whispered.

   "She's real alright. I was surprised to hear about it too, but it makes me wonder what motive Ibiki has. I mean, it's not like him to do something like this, you know?"

   Kagura persisted her cooing, not noticing Sakura's sudden sharpness glinting in her emerald eyes.

~

   When Ibiki entered his office, a small body was sitting in his plush office chair. She was focused on a particularly thick file, brows furrowed in deep concentration. Her hand propped up her head so that she was leaning slightly to the side.

   "What are you reading, Sakura?"

   "Daddy and Mommy's file." she answered without looking up. She finished the page she was reading before shutting the file and looking up to meet her sensei's gaze. "Why did you want me as your student, Ibiki-san?"

   Ibiki narrowed his eyes at her tone of voice. It was serious, a complete 180 degree turn from her normal chirp. It was that kind of voice you didn't think someone would master until they were about ten or eleven. Deep, dark, demanding.

   "Because you're different than every other kid I've come across. Your short past is gruesome and unforgiving. The way you view the world is that of someone who knows true pain. Most of the time, your smile is fake, but it fools nearly everyone that sees it- that's why you do it all the time. At such a young age, I can already see the shinobi in you. You're dangerous, and I want to see how much of that I can tame."

   Sakura considered this information, staring at the lamp on the desk and scrunching up her nose. Suddenly, she perked up and grinned.

   "Okay, sensei!"

   She hopped off the seat, hugged his leg, and ran out the building. Ibiki tried to calm his twitching nerves and returned to his work.

~

   The guards were unfazed as a small girl ran past them and into the nearby forest. She came out here everyday for the past week, would stay a while, then re-enter the village as chipper as she left. They decided not to question about it. She was never a problem, and as long as she stayed that way, it was fine.

   Sakura ran into a denser patch of greenery and sat down, catching her breath.

   "Zetsu-san! Are you here?"

   A lump emerged from the ground in front of her, exposing a head, half an upper body, but venus flytrap additions absent.

   "Good afternoon, Sakura. You did something, didn't you? I can see that look on your face. What did you do?"

   Sakura giggled.

   "Nothing, Zetsu-san!"

   Zetsu still wondered how in hell he hadn't killed her yet, and how she managed to wrap him, an S-class shinobi, around her tiny fingers. Maybe it was the way she acted that drew him to hold pity for her. But even if he did that, he still wouldn't be interaction with her at the moment. Damn this little girl. Damn her to hell. A prickling feeling enveloped his senses.

   "Tomorrow." he interrupted. Sakura stopped her rant about her day and looked at him curiously. Zetsu sunk into the ground like quicksand. Not ten minutes later, as Sakura was picking flowers, someone entered the clearing.

*Perception is a Sakura Haruno story (shocker) but with a twist. Everyone has different personalities. And yes. The Uchiha are a HAPPY bunch. Scary. Go check it out if you can.