Act 1

The Foundations of a Clan

Part 5

Meeting

"This is going to be exciting!" Ino beamed, setting down a tray of food in preparation. "When was the last time your living room was clean? When? I can see the floor! Are you sure we shouldn't get your mother?"

Ino was still reluctant to the accept the reality of Sakura's ambition to found a clan despite everything that had been discussed between them. Sakura had suspicions that the Yamanaka heiress did believe that it could be a viable subhouse within her own, but she had made no mention of such an expectation and Sakura did not voice it.

"As if your room is any better..." Sakura replied. Ino's family could not afford hired help, nor did they particularly wish it anyway. "When are you going to move out of your parents home?"

"Perhaps when I become the leader." Ino said. "But I like living near the flower shop, and it's not like I have anyone noisy around like your cousins."

Ever since the war much of Sakura's family had immigrated from Iron country to Fire, and two of her younger cousins moved in with her family altogether. It was part of the reason why she had chosen to move out of her parents' home and into her own apartment. But she also like the independence. Her family was just too traditional sometimes.

Still, when was the last time she cleaned her apartment? Sakura nervously picked up stray pieces of crumpled paper. Try as she might, Sakura could just not keep this place clean. And she was really very tidy... just busy!

A knock came upon the door and the two kunoichi stirred from their seats on the couch. Ino bit her lip and ran off back to the kitchen, yelling that she would get the drinks with a crazed expression. It was no wonder why she excelled at her kunoichi classes in the academy, Sakura thought, with her mother being the epitome of feminine class. Ino had been raised to act accordingly.

Sakura walked over to the door and reached for the knob, but felt pain. The med-nin was not the best student she ever faced, and Sakura had to stop her half way after she nearly blew another tenketsu point. It was a shame too, because it meant that whatever curriculum was set up was not working; the student should have found such a low-stress heal easy to handle in a hospital setting.

"Yo." Kakashi said when she opened up the door. Sakura looked out at him surprised, and he too seemed to be examining her apartment carefully. He rarely needed to stop by, so it was unusual for him to be at her door. She invited him in. "Are you having a party?"

Sakura blushed, suddenly realizing that he knew her plans were of the social nature and she committed a faux pas. He was a guy though, so perhaps he would not hold it against her.

"Well that's rude." he said, shooting down Sakura before she could feel alright about forgetting her plans with Team 7. "Better make sure Naruto does not find out. He'll be hurt, Sakura. You didn't even invite us."

He said it with mock offense, but with some severity in expression. Sakura had turned them down in favor of the 'party.'

"I forgot." It was not an excuse, but it would have to do. She tried to save herself some embarrassment by changing topics. "Why are you here?"

Kakashi reached to his side and pulled out a folder. He handed it to her without ceremony and motioned his hands in a seal. In the distance Sakura could hear Moegi's wheezing laugh and Shizune sshing! her so as not to bother the neighbors.

"I meant to give this to you at the hospital." he said, and Sakura began flipping through it. Her face turned red, realizing that it was an empty file of which she was supposed to report the last mission she was on. It was a simple reconnaissance mission, but one which required a heavy report. Normally pay was docked if a mission report was not returned in time. "Naruto said it was okay for you to turn it in late."

They had both been called back to the village alongside the team they had been with when Tsunade fell ill. Sakura had left the village shortly after she was put into the hospital, not quite expecting it to be as serious as it was. Had it not been for Moegi pressing Naruto and letter him understand the situation, Sakura would not have even been there for Tsunade's last day.

"I suppose I should leave."Kakashi arrived as suddenly as he planned to leave.

Sakura decided she needed to say or do something. "Look, I'm sorry about this." she waved the file around, "But even more about Naruto. I've been so... distracted as you said."

He gave her a soft, knowing smile. "What ever you are planning, it may not work. Don't depend upon it."

Sakura frowned.

"You already known how reluctant the council is to change anything. It's not because they are evil; they are truly trying to act in the best interest of the village. Go ahead and try, but maybe you should just... give up? It might be a waste of time and only make you feel worst."

Kakashi rarely agreed with them. "And they don't exactly like you right now, so I doubt your little plot of four med-nins is going to accomplish anything."

Sakura was offended, and even threatened. "Don't like me?"

"I renegotiated your contract. Both of ours, actually." he admitted sheepishly. "You'll even be getting a pay raise."

That had got to be one of the kindest things he ever did for her. But at what cost?

"Don't worry." he said again, suddenly distracted by Moegi's laugher getting even closer. He waved goodbye before Ino, who appeared with a tray of different cheeses, attempted to wave at him.

To Ino's absolute horror, at some point in those few seconds she saw him before she could raise her hand, her carefully arranged plate was missing an entire row of cheddar.

But even more frighteningly for Sakura, Shizune and Moegi arrived at the door with Karin in tow. Kakashi had not even been able to sense her.

"Quiet!" Ino yelled, slamming her fist on Sakura's table. It had already suffered through its owner's rage, but the kunoichi felt a little miffed that it rattled so violently. "With everyone talking at once, nothing is going to get accomplished here tonight!"

All the women in the room began to wind down their discussions with the others. Sakura had been arguing over Karin, who had been arguing over Moegi, who had been trying to agree with Shizune, who was quite confused about who was going to be included in this clan.

Sakura walked to the front of the room and all eyes were on her. "Okay, I know this is all a bit confusing. I have not really explained it all to you, but everyone is here because they support the idea of what I am trying to do in some form, and for that I wanted to include you in this meeting."

Shizune, who really should have known everything from the beginning, was biting her lip. She was holding back, and for that Sakura felt guilty. She usually deferred to the elder med-nin in almost every area, so she let her speak.

"I don't mean to single out anyone here, but what are Ino and... what's your name again? doing here? She's not even a med-nin."she asked.

To that Karin looked away, peeved, muttering her name at barely a whisper. Ino did not seem so offended and said: "One of the requirements in the appeal to the council for clan recognition is the nomination by an existing clan. I'll be the leader in six months, so I'll have sway in the decision for my clan. I actually believe they would have nominated the clan anyway, but I really support this decision."

Shizune and Moegi seemed in agreement about this. Karin had said nothing, but Sakura figured that she would understand the logic of Ino's participation in this clan meeting.

Ino had said nothing about how she doubted the reality of it happening to those in the room, and for that Sakura was thankful.

Shizune looked to Karin. The former enemy kunoichi finally rolled her eyes and relented, deigning to speak.

"Your glorious leader here made an alliance with myself. In return for me not alerting the Hyuuga to your plans, I receive membership and the role of a subhouse leader."

This sent the room into an uproar. Ino whipped her head around to Sakura giving her a What-in-the-Fire were the you thinking? look. Shizune stood up, completely shocked. Moegi really did not know Karin very well, but their earlier argument did not leave a very good impression on her, so she protested quite loudly. Sakura quickly calmed them down, or enough to get a word in.

"Everyone here has something to contribute to this clan, and while I express my intention to go forward, I will understand if either one of you do not wish to be part of this clan. Even so, I wish for your input. We're friends."

Sakura stopped, comprehending her words. "No, that's wrong. We're friends now, but together we can work to make medical ninjutsu a powerful field within this village. We can be so much more than just a bunch of med-nins trying to stick it to the council. We'll be something more, something like-"

"A family." Shizune said, smiling. Sakura could see that she was thinking of her son Houtai and her husband Genma. She already knew how much a family of her own meant. "A family is a wonderful thing. I do wish I had a larger family."

Moegi smiled in kind. "Sometimes I feel lonely. Everyone else is in a clan, and there is just no place for me!"

"This could be your place!" Sakura replied, feeling comfortable on her platform now. "Why not band together? Why not call ourselves a clan? Why not change Konoha? We can!"

"But how?" Moegi asked. "Can you even found a clan? Is it allowed?"

"It's a complicated process." Karin told her. "Expensive. Dangerous, even."

Shizune must have already known this at her age, but Moegi looked frightened. Sakura chose to alleviate her fears by redirecting the conversation.

"Each of us will head our own subhouse based off of our abilities."Sakura said. "For instance, I would specialize in trauma treatment."

Shizune looked at Karin, confused. "I don't understand how whats-her-name? can help?"

"Karin! My name is Karin! We've been on six missions together over the years!" she fired back. This lead Sakura to believe that Shizune knew exactly who Karin was, but was bothered by her inclusion. "And just so you know, I am probably the best addition to the clan."

"How?" Moegi asked. "You aren't a med-nin at all. I mean... I heard if someone bites you it... I just don't see what you mean."

"I've already discussed this, but," she said, fixing her glasses. "I am a sensor ninja. A great sensor ninja."

Sakura really could not argue that even if she wanted to, but Karin's ego was a bit inflated at times. It was entirely likely that Karin could slip away in the middle of the day right by an entire team of ANBU and never be seen again by the village because of how well she could sense and mask herself. Karin went on to explain her abilities in the same way as she had to Sakura, and the other women nodded appreciatively, understanding the magnitude of her ability.

"But I also have personal reasons for joining this clan." she said. Sakura really did not expect her to be so open, but it became quite obvious to them all that she was hedging her bets toward this clan being successful. Sakura hoped that Ino would see this and believe in it more. "My child will inherit this ability, and unless I join a clan favorable to me, I'll be head-hunted into the Hyuuga."

There were murmurs of surprise, as the others had not known that Karin was pregnant until now.

"Actually-" Ino began, and stopped. "Nevermind, my mother already contacted you."

Sakura looked at her questionably. Ino's mother was the village's most notorious matchmaker. She was so well known among ninja that she even did work in other villages and once settled an alliance between two minor nations through marriage. She was formidable, and if Yamanaka Akemi had been enlisted... Karin really did have to hedge her bets now.

"I've already had to terminate one pregnancy." she said, not sharing any more. Sakura realized that it probably would have had to occur before Suigetsu was released from prison, and wondered just what she had to do to secure a stable position in Konoha. "In return for the protection from a clan and true membership in this village, I can help you all better achieve your goals."

"We could engineer our own bloodline!" Moegi said with excitement. "Then the village would surely accept us!"

Ino hmphed. "All that is good, but have any of you read the requirements for clan recognition? We have a number of problems."

"Leadership can not be inherited." Karin said, surprising almost everyone in the room. "If you are going to have a clan based on rights, you can't belittle any member of that clan, born or joined. Now or in the future."

"Yes, but you already know what's expected of a clan."Ino said, a bit dismissively. She now knew exactly how Karin managed to get her way into this clan. Sakura was not sure if the Yamanaka clan had someone like Karin, it was unlikely at their size, but they would have known about such spies existing, identity known or not. "Someone has to be the leader, and they need a blood heir!"

Moegi almost screamed out, "Not me!" as if it were some sort of game. Karin would not have worked.

Sakura had almost hoped that Shizune would take the lead. "But you already have a child..."

Shizune looked down, a bit flustered. "I know, it would probably be easiest to just say I am leader, but-"

"I think Sakura should be the leader." Moegi said. "She came up with the idea for this clan, and she'd be the best out of all of us."

"I agree." Karin said, not adding much more.

"It's just..." Shizune began. "I've always done things quietly in the background. Just giving those lectures to the council is enough to make me... make me sick of leadership completely! I always used to do work for Tsunade, and she would present!"

Ever since Shizune had become the co-chief of Hospital-Village relations alongside Sakura, her life had gotten busier. Between balancing her family life, mission, and the hospital it had begun to take its toll. Shortly after her son had been born Shizune had talked to Sakura about retiring, but the sheer workload prevented that from being professionally responsible.

"I don't really want to be forced to have a kid though..." Sakura said.

Karin laughed. "You do realize that creating a clan takes years?"

Ino nodded. "You can't forget the tithe Sakura. You'll probably be halfway through your marriage by the time the clan is recognized."

"That long?" Moegi looked shocked.

Sakura pulled out the the file on clan recognition. She had made copies and handed them out. Shizune and Moegi gasped at the requirements.

"All of this is impossible, Sakura." Shizune said. "There is no way we could come up with thirty-two million ryo for the tithe."

"Not to mention there has to be a blood heir." Karin said. "That's another problem."

Ino considered everything for a moment. "When the Inuzaka started to form officially, as far as the village knows, it took about three years before they could settle everything. But they already had much of what was required for recognition, and they did not have to pay the village tithe."

"They didn't?" Sakura asked. That was surprising. According to the prerequisites, the daimyo or the village could waive their tithe, but she did not think they ever actually did.

"It's not unusual. My clan was actually able to waive both tithes." she said. Sakura remembered from lessons at the academy that the Yamanaka had been officially a clan since a few years after the village was settled, so things must have been drastically different then. "But that took years of diplomacy. If you want to speed things up for med-nins by founding a clan, certain requirements you won't be able to negotiate your way out of. I've never known a clan to negotiate out of the blood heir requirement."

Shizune went on to ask if it would be possible to ask for a loan from the Yamanaka. "My clan is already edging towards becoming defunct ever since members defected to Root. Even if we can direct funds to this clan, how ever supportive we are, it could not be much."

In other words, the Yamanaka had to pay reparations. It was also popular rumor within the village that the previous leader of the Yamanaka clan, before his son Fū had been killed, that he redirected most of the Yamanaka clan's savings to Danzo. Sakura really hoped that had not been true, but Ino had not said anything about it. Some family secrets were meant to stay family secrets.

"The best leader for this generation of the clan is you, Sakura." Ino said. "I know there is a lot you don't want to do, but if you really want to found a clan you are going to have to handle some... responsibilities."

"But that would mean-"

"That a child would have to be born before the clan can officially become a clan." Karin said. She was offended. "Do you not like kids, or something?"

Sakura stayed quiet.

"It will take a few years before everything is in order." Shizune began reading off some of the prerequisites before recognition. She did not seem to approve of them, but since none of the clans in the history of Konoha were really able to argue against them, it was quite obvious neither could they. "We have no bargaining chips to enter recognition on our own terms, so we'll have to meet theirs."

Sakura would have to agree on this. "It's just..."

"Are you not serious about this?" Ino asked, suddenly agitated. Her brow was set, and Sakura could see that part of Ino's reluctance to believe in the possibility of the clan may have been Sakura all along."Did you ask us to join in on some flight of fancy? Some vacant hope? Because if you really, really mean to create a clan you will deal with having a child, Sakura. This isn't some academy crush, or some easy D-rank mission. If I am going to support this, you have to be serious. This could be a blow to my clan, and I can't have that."

"I've said this to you before, but creating a clan is dangerous." Karin pointed out. She looked a little worried now, as if Sakura made a mistake not considering the consequences of her ambition. "Konoha may be at peace, but the clans here, especially the Hyuuga, do not want their representation in the council to be compromised. Naruto and Hinata-chan may have influence on them now, but that does not change their own goals within Konoha."

"It's not that I don't want to be leader." Sakura said, looking down at her hands. The burns were not serious, but almost like a symbol of how her life had been over the last few months. It was just too much, that even she was getting burned physically. "I wanted med-nins to have a voice in the village, and I know that having a clan is the best way. But clans themselves are..."

"They are petty." Ino added. "They war within each other for power. Clans rise and fall. They are organizations that seek dominance over other clans, because it is the only way to survive."

"I don't want that for my children. Would you?" Sakura asked. Ino said nothing, already having to deal with it from birth.

Shizune looked down with guilt. She was now thinking of reneging on her joining of the clan. "No. I wouldn't want that for my son."

Karin chuckled. "As if any clan is uniform."

"What do you mean? No clan has ever avoided the power struggles within. Not even mine." Ino said. "My father fought tooth and nail for me to be the heiress, and I did not even want to be!"

"It's simple." Karin said. She fixed her glasses with a smirk. "You want fair rights for med-nins? Make everything fair within the clan. The rules stated that a blood heir must exist, but there is nothing against changing leadership once the clan is recognized. Problem solved."

Sakura felt a little worried by Karin. Could she be planning something? Sakura was not sure if she could ever trust her. She assumed too much.

But Ino smiled at her words. "Of course! The rule was set to make it so mercenaries were not mobbing the village. Plenty of clans change leadership based off the will of the clan itself, based on traditions! The only clan that has always maintained leadership by blood is the Hyuuga."

Which had never worked out well for any of them.

"All of the sub houses are meant to be equal." Sakura said. "Everything is just as important; Moegi's disease research may not be favored by the village now, but it will save many lives in the future. Shizune's medicines have been sold the villages over. Leadership will be based by vote."

It seemed like the best compromise she could make. They all agreed it was a good idea, but that did not take away the fact that Sakura would still need the blood heir. Even after asking Shizune, she told them all quite frankly she was close to retiring after the year.

"We can't just change the leader of our clan." Shizune pointed out. "And you don't want to have a figurehead leader like Hinata. Bless her heart, but she really has no power. No one takes her seriously; inside or outside of the Hyuuga."

Ino slapped her knee with finality. "Is it decided, then? That we will all proceed with this clan?"

The women nodded in agreement with only a word or two to add. Karin wanted to remind everyone that Juugo and Suigetsu were included, and if that were the case, it would only be right to include the family members of others present. Shizune agreed to this. They also decided to keep their plans secret even from their families for a little while longer. Moegi, like Sakura, was civilian born so that inclusion really did not affect her and it was entirely likely her family would not care to join a new clan either. Both Sakura and Moegi were already part of a civilian family of semi-status, and neither would abandon their names.

"A name!" Sakura was surprised she had not thought of this before. "What should we call ourselves?"

They each took their time to list possible names for the clan on a piece of paper, conferring and arguing over each other's suggestions. There was no real consensus. When they exhausted every name it became clear there was no definitive idea for the clan.

"It has to mean something." Karin tapped her chin, deep in thought. "All clans have meaningful names. Powerful names. Something related to their ancestry or talents as ninja."

"Why don't we honor Tsunade-sama?" Moegi suggested. The others agreed immediately, but it ended up another long list of potential clan names. Eventually they were able to decide on one name.

"Shouhen, meaning rebirth. I think that's a wonderful name." Sakura said. Moegi had suggested the actual name, but it had been Shizune who had thought of such a positive throwback to Tsunade. Not the exact name as her signature move, but it was fitting for a clan name, and the dedication was there. "We'll revolutionize Konoha as the Shouhen!"

With most of the business over for the night, everyone departed. Shizune actually said 'Goodnight' to Karin, and Moegi managed to stifle her excitement as she walked away so the neighbors would not be disturbed. They were all deep in thought, considering what it would mean to be a Shouhen.

Ino was the only one who remained, helping Sakura put her living room back into order and wash the dishes. Sakura had expected to continue discussing the clan, but both quietly scrubbed the dishes.

"Can you believe it?" Sakura asked as they had begun drying. The silence had unnerved her.

Ino turned to her friend. She did not smile, at least not completely, but seemed to dare to put faith into the idea. "I would like to. I'll help you."

If the idea of this clan meant that much to Ino, and she could not even be a part of it, Sakura would dare to dream it could mean a lot to Konoha as well. To have comrades who live on through danger and sickness... was that too much to ask for? To work for?

Sakura had been so lost in her hopes and dreams for this clan that she did not see the file Kakashi had given her before the meeting with the others until she was settling in for bed. Normally she would have groaned and got out of bed, dragging herself over to her desk and filling it out before going to sleep. But instead she promised to do it the next morning, but she ended up waking up late from spending so much of the night tossing and turning over possible plans, and only managed to get to it during her lunch break.