Chapter Text
If there is one thing Haruno Sakura hates more than anything in the world, it’s being underestimated and undermined. And while it would work in her favor as a shinobi in the long run, coming from a background of merchants means she has little patience for it.
And being a Haruno merchant meant respect was expected within the civilian and merchant communities- noble courts. Even minor shinobi clan communities- simply because they lacked the resources to have dedicated blacksmiths and weapons dealers.
As such, there is little the current heiress of the entire clan can’t do. Can’t get.
Haruno Sakura lets go of her shinobi identity and donned the face and atmosphere she reserves for her clan meetings and merchant council meetings.
Because she has a want. And when a Haruno has a want. A Haruno gets it. To deny a Haruno was akin to stepping in front of a tiger and expecting to walk away unscathed.
And right now?
Haruno Sakura wants Gatō’s empire.
It’s somewhere between therapeutic and comedic, how quickly and easily Gatō falls.
Not at the hands of war-hardened shinobi. Not betrayed samurai. Not desperate nuke-nin. Not even because of the cowardly Nami no Kuni magistrate.
But because a pink-haired little girl turned shinobi saw injustice and decided to turn it into an opportunity and freedom.
The day after Sakura sent her family a scroll, Itachi’s summon had come back with a single piece of paper that said “Okay.” and Sakura carried on like business was the same as usual. Completely disregarding the stares from the elder Uchihas and her two teammates.
Kakashi-sensei wakes up 72 hours after his fight. He remains bedridden for another 48 hours because Sakura is the closest thing to an iryō-nin that their team has and she’s read damn near every book and scroll available to genin in regards to medicine and field care.
In those five days, not only have Shisui and Itachi sparred with all three of them as a team, but also individually. Their team had mastered tree walking before they left the village and the boys were decent with water walking.
All this to say, none of the men she’s currently traveling with are in the least bit prepared for a middle-aged fuschia-haired woman to be standing on the bridge the very next morning guarded by Momochi Zabuza and three Kiri-genin. Dozens of new construction workers follow her every barked order with clinical precision and haste.
Tazuna looks confused beyond belief as he hesitantly steps forward, “What in the…”
Immediately, he is swept away by the tidal wave that was his original crew to discuss what is currently happening. Many of them have tears of joy in their eyes.
Kakashi-sensei, hobbling on his crutches, immediately gets defensive, whereas Shisui and Itachi have jumped between the two opposing groups- masks on and tantōs raised. The Kiri-genin watch their group curiously and Momochi Zabuza looks amused as he huffs before turning around to address the woman he seemed to be guarding.
Said woman turns around with an air of superiority and power. Her oceanic blue eyes are startlingly clear as she assesses their group. She stands imperiously as any noble from a Daimyō’s court in an elaborate kimono and royal blue metsuke haori. Yes, Haruno Fukushia is not a woman to be underestimated.
“Obasama,” Sakura greets softly but firmly, bypassing her shocked teammates and ignoring the amused Kiri shinobi.
Sharp serrated incisors greet her in a grisly smile as her aunt hefts Sakura in her arms effortlessly. Let it be known that Sakura was the outlier in her family when it came to physical appearance. She had always been tiny, despite her above average strength.
“Little petal!” She coos, “All grown up and reporting corrupt officials and taking down monopolies! Are you sure you want to be Hokage? You’re already making waves in the merchant world or Daimyō’s court.”
Sakura smiles at the older woman, “I’m certain. One of my cousins can handle it. Or my parents can make another kid.”
Her aunt laughs heartily before setting her down and inspecting the people who accompanied Sakura to the bridge. To say she is not impressed is an understatement. Her eyes could cut glass with the way they dissect her companions.
“Well at the rate the builders I brought are working, the bridge should be finished soon and Nami no Kuni can come back to life. The nuke-nin, ronin, and mercenaries under his employ have all been turned in or left easily with their promised pay. The Nami no Kuni’s Daikans and Gundais have all been arrested as well. An investigation is ongoing to figure out the guilty parties.”
The more the older woman says, the lower Naruto and Sasuke’s jaw drops. Kakashi-sensei has developed a tick above his eye and Shisui’s masked form looks to be struggling to hold in his laughter.
Sakura simply smiles placidly.
“Oh! This is the team I hired from Kiri to escort me from Mizu,” She then proceeds to introduce the four shinobi guarding her. Not once does her aunt ask what Sakura’s mission is or what it entails.
Momochi Zabuza, who she recognizes from bingo books.
Chōjuro, a sweet shy boy with pale blue hair and a large sword.
Hozuki Suigetsu, a cocky looking bastard with silver hair and two swords.
Yuki Haku, a disgustingly beautiful boy, radiates ice.
“I’m confused..” Naruto starts, scratching the back of his neck. “Did Sakura-chan save the village?”
“No. I simply used my privilege to bring the corruption choking this village to the light. The village saved itself by persevering for so long.”
Again they all stare at her in shock but she simply shrugs and goes to help the builders lift the heavy timber.
Sakura is not so foolish as to think killing Gatō would have been the easiest way of handling things. Unlike her team mates and their family, Sakura actually understands how civilian villages function. How monopolies topple stable environments. And how easy it is for a new tyrant to pick up the discarded pieces.
Sure, their team could have killed the shipping magnate and his goonies to immediately bring peace to Tazuna and his village. But that is a short term plan with a short term reward.
And Sakura is a long term plan kind of girl.
She hopes the boys take the lesson on privilege and power for what it is.
(She's still reporting them when they get back to Konoha.)