Darkest Before Dawn

Shikaku

   "Hey Ibiki, is your student's name Sakura Haruno by any chance?" Inoichi questioned. The head interrogator looked behind him with a raised eyebrow.

   "Yeah... why do you ask?"

   Inoichi's slapped a hand over his face and grumbled to himself.

   "...That explains a lot."

~

   Shikaku Nara cracked his neck and heaved a sigh. Minato was running him late hours again and he was dirt tired. He reached for a book stacked on his table and flipped it open. From the corner of his eye, he saaw a flash of pink. Shikaku furrowed his brow and looked to his left. A young academy student stood in front of one of the bookshelves, slowly browsing through the titles.

   He recognized her as one of the new students in his son's class. He blinked a few times before rubbing his eyes and looking at her again. What in the world was she doing here? This library was reserved for Jounin and ANBU members only. Just how did she...? He stood up lazily and approached the girl with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

   "Oi, kid. How did you get in here?"

   The girl turned around and handed him a rectangular piece of green metal. It was an official key card that had the name SAKURA HARUNO etched in thick block letters. These cards held a special chakra pattern to them and only allowed use to the one who owned it. Aside from having the card, the colored dots underneath her name interested him as well. Key cards weren't used very often, but they were a handy thing to have.

   The card had a black dot, which allowed access to the Torture and Interrogaton Building, a red dot, which allowed access into this library, an orange dot, which allowed access into the ANBU Building, a pink dot, which allowed access into Training Ground 44, and a gray dot, which allowed access into the Intelligence Building.

   For an eight year old to have a card and be allowed such a privilege was simply unheard of.

   "I come to the library often and no one minds," Sakura supplied, taking back the card, "I also have friends in the I also have friends in the Interrogation and Intelligence sectors as well as ANBU. Actually, I appeared there so much that they decided to give me this key card two years ago."

   Shikaku smirked.

   "You must be Ibiki's student then, aren't you?"

   She grinned.

   "The one and only, Nara-san."

   After a few words, Sakura picked up the book she had been looking for, waved, and left the library. Shikaku crossed his arms.

   'Ibiki's student and most likely the girl Inoichi said had an unstable mind. She didn't look any dangerous though... I wonder what she's hiding...'

~

   This was more like a passing chapter so woo~

   Next Chapter: Itachi's Decision!

   Itachi has to make the choice now. Will he kill his clan?