Sakura grumbled she had wanted to eat with Sasuke but Kakashi was doing some personal one-on-one training with him for the rest of the afternoon.

  "Stupid Kakashi-sensei." she muttered, kicking a pebble with her heel. Her ears flattened against her head in annoyance.

  The sun beat down on Konoha, making her pink fur itch beneath her gloves. She wiped sweat from her brow and considered her options. Naruto was off with Jiraiya, and who knew what perverted things that old sage was teaching him. Hinata would be training with her clan. Ino would just rub it in that they'd both made the finals.

  "Sakura! Sakura Haruno!"

  Her ears perked up at the sound of her name. She turned to see two familiar figures waving at her from across the street. Kabuto, with his glasses catching the sunlight, and beside him, Mizuki's fiancée, Tsubaki.

  "Hello!" she called back, crossing over to greet them.

  "Congratulations on making it to the finals," Kabuto said with a warm smile. "That was quite the impressive display against Isaribi."

  Sakura's tail gave a small wag of pride. "Thank you. I'm sorry your team didn't make it through. You worked so hard to get there."

  "Seventh time's not the charm, apparently," Kabuto chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "Though I did withdraw before the preliminaries."

  "Everyone's talking about you rookies," Tsubaki said, her eyes bright with admiration. "Seven of you making it to the finals! That's unheard of."

  "We've been training really hard," Sakura said, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks.

  "Still, it's remarkable," Tsubaki continued. "I only tried the chunin exam once, and I nearly died." She laughed, though Sakura caught a hint of old pain in her eyes. "After that, I settled for being promoted internally. Not as prestigious, and it definitely lowers my chances of ever making jonin, but I'm okay with it."

  "My parents were promoted the same way," Sakura said. Both Kizashi and Mebuki had solid, if unremarkable, ninja careers. They'd never pushed for the spotlight.

  "Having ninja parents is such an advantage," Tsubaki sighed. "Mine were merchants. I had to learn everything from scratch."

  Sakura tilted her head curiously. "What about you, Kabuto? Are your parents ninja too?"

  "My father is," Kabuto replied, his expression softening. "But I'm adopted. I don't know anything about my birth parents."

  "Oh, I'm sorry," Sakura said. Her enhanced hearing picked up the slight change in his heartbeat—there was more to that story, she could tell.

  "It's fine," Kabuto waved her apology away. "I've had a good life. Can't complain."

  "How do you two know each other?" Sakura asked, glancing between them.

  "My sensei and Tsubaki's fiancé are friends," Kabuto explained. "We run into each other quite often."

  "Speaking of which," Tsubaki said, checking her watch, "what are you doing right now, Sakura? You look like you're at loose ends."

  Sakura's ears drooped slightly. "Kakashi-sensei has given me the afternoon off. I was just going to grab something to eat by myself."

  "Why don't you join us?" Tsubaki offered cheerfully. "We were about to get lunch ourselves."

  "I'd love to," Sakura smiled, tail swishing in delight at not having to eat alone.

  "I should get back to the hospital," Kabuto said apologetically. "I'm helping out there between exams. But you two enjoy yourselves."

  They waved goodbye to Kabuto, who headed off toward the hospital district, and Sakura turned to Tsubaki.

  "Where would you like to eat?" she asked.

  Tsubaki tapped her chin thoughtfully. "How about Yakiniku Q? My treat—we should celebrate your success!"

  "You don't have to do that," Sakura protested, but Tsubaki was already leading her down the street.

  "Nonsense! It's not every day I get to dine with a finalist in the chunin exams."

  As they walked, Tsubaki asked about Sakura's match against Isaribi. Sakura found herself explaining her strategy, the tricks she'd employed, and how she'd managed to overcome the fish-girl's advantages.

  "I actually feel bad for her," Sakura admitted as they approached the restaurant. "She didn't ask for what Orochimaru did to her."

  "That's kind of you," Tsubaki said, holding open the door. "But she's still the enemy."

  The savory aroma of grilling meat enveloped them as they entered Yakiniku Q. The restaurant was busy, mostly with off-duty chunin and jonin, but they managed to snag a small booth near the back. Tsubaki ordered for both of them—a generous assortment of meats and vegetables, plus two glasses of iced tea.

  "So," Tsubaki said once they were settled, "how's it going with your pursuit of Sasuke? You bed him yet?"

  Sakura choked on her tea. "What?"

  Tsubaki's sudden question caught Sakura completely off-guard. Her tail went ramrod straight, and her ears flattened against her head.

  "That's... that's not—" she stammered, her face flushing crimson. "Sasuke and I aren't like that!"

  Tsubaki leaned back against the booth cushion, a knowing smirk playing across her lips. "Oh? But you want to be, don't you?" She tapped her nails against the wooden table. "Don't be shy. It's just us girls here."

  Sakura glanced around nervously, making sure no one was eavesdropping. "I'm thirteen," she hissed.

  "So? I was twelve when I had my first boyfriend," Tsubaki said with a dismissive wave. "And by fourteen, I knew exactly what I was looking for in a man." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "And what I see in Sasuke Uchiha is practically the jackpot."

  "What do you mean?" Sakura asked, despite herself.

  Tsubaki counted off on her fingers. "Last survivor of an elite clan. Heir to a fortune. Incredible bloodline limit. Guaranteed fast-track to jonin, probably ANBU after that." She gave a low whistle. "If I were your age again, I'd be all over that."

  "It's not like that," Sakura protested weakly. "I mean, yes, I want to be with Sasuke, but it's because I care about him."

  "Of course you do, sweetie," Tsubaki said, patting Sakura's hand condescendingly. "But there's nothing wrong with acknowledging the perks that come with the package."

  Their food arrived, giving Sakura a moment to collect herself as the server arranged plates of raw meat and vegetables around the grill built into their table. Tsubaki expertly began arranging thin slices of beef on the hot surface, the meat sizzling immediately.

  "The thing is," Tsubaki continued once the server had left, "you've already got him wrapped around your little finger. Don't think I haven't noticed."

  "I don't know what you're talking about," Sakura said, busying herself with arranging mushrooms on the grill.

  "Please." Tsubaki rolled her eyes. "I've seen how he looks at you. The stoic Sasuke Uchiha, gracing you with earrings people mentioned having seen on his mother? Gifting you clothes with the Uchiha crest on them? Unheard of. He's completely smitten."

  "You think so?" Sakura couldn't help the hopeful note in her voice. Her tail gave a small twitch of excitement.

  "I know so," Tsubaki said with confidence. "Trust me, I made chunin off my 'infiltration' skills, if you know what I mean." She gave an exaggerated wink.

  Sakura's brow furrowed. "You mean like disguises and information gathering?"

  Tsubaki laughed, a sound that was both genuine and slightly mocking. "Oh, you're adorable. I mean I know how to read people, especially men." She flipped the beef slices, which were now beautifully browned on one side. "If you want, I could teach you some... special techniques. Things that would have Sasuke eating out of your hand."

  Sakura's ears flattened against her head again. "I'm only thirteen," she repeated firmly.

  "I'm only teasing!" Tsubaki said, holding up her hands in mock surrender. But the gleam in her eye suggested otherwise. "Though Mizuki did tell me how far you were willing to go to get Sasuke's attention. The whole rabbit-human hybridization thing? That's commitment."

  Sakura nearly dropped her chopsticks. "He told you about that?"

  "We don't keep secrets from each other," Tsubaki said, placing perfectly grilled meat on Sakura's plate. "And I have to applaud your ambition. Your willingness to go to such great lengths. Most girls your age would just diet or learn a new jutsu. But you?" She gestured at Sakura's altered form. "You literally changed your entire body."

  "It wasn't just for Sasuke," Sakura said defensively. "It was to help solve a real problem with ninja fertility."

  "Ah yes, the fertility enhancements." Tsubaki's eyes lit up with interest. "How's that coming along? Has it worked? Can you have, what, a dozen Uchiha babies now?"

  Sakura nearly choked on a piece of beef. "I haven't tested that," she spluttered once she'd recovered. "Obviously."

  "Obviously," Tsubaki echoed, amusement dancing in her eyes.

  "But Queen Joousa is confident in her work," Sakura added. "The preliminary results have been promising." She carefully left out the fact that those "preliminary results" were based entirely on bloodwork and chakra flow studies, not actual pregnancies.

  "I'd love to have access to something like that," Tsubaki said thoughtfully. "Not that I'm ready for kids yet, but options are always good."

  "Are you and Mizuki planning to have children?" Sakura asked, hoping to steer the conversation in a less embarrassing direction.

  Tsubaki swirled her tea and sighed, her expression falling slightly. "Eventually. But not until he makes jonin, at least."

  Something in her tone made Sakura's ears perk up. "Is everything okay between you two?"

  "Things are... fine," Tsubaki said, her gaze dropping to her plate. "It's just..." She trailed off, seeming to debate with herself before continuing. "When Mizuki and I got together, he was a rising star. Everyone said so."

  "Really?" Sakura tried to picture Mizuki-sensei as a prodigy and found it difficult. He was certainly skilled, but not exceptional by Konoha's standards.

  "Oh, absolutely," Tsubaki nodded. "He had caught the eye of Orochimaru himself." She leaned in, voice dropping. "He was a prominent backer of the sannin becoming the next Hokage after the Nine-tails attack."

  Sakura's eyes widened. "I didn't know that."

  "Not many people talk about it now," Tsubaki said bitterly. "After Orochimaru turned traitor, everyone who'd been associated with him became... tainted in the eyes of the village."

  "That's not fair," Sakura said. "It's not Mizuki-sensei's fault that Orochimaru turned out to be—" she hesitated, unsure what words were safe to use about one of the Legendary Sannin, even a rogue one "—not what everyone thought."

  "Tell that to the village council," Tsubaki huffed. "Mizuki has been put on review a couple of times now. I know that's the reason. He won't say it, but I know."

  She stabbed at a piece of grilled meat with unnecessary force. "I expected him to be a trusted jonin with the ear of the Hokage by now. Not a chunin instructor for academy students. Even then, he was almost denied that position."

  Then, so quietly that only Sakura's enhanced hearing could pick it up, she muttered: "Should have picked better."

  Sakura's ears twitched in surprise. "What do you mean?"

  Tsubaki's head shot up, alarm flashing across her features before she quickly composed herself. "Oh! I didn't realize—your hearing must be—" She laughed awkwardly. "It's nothing. Just... you know how it is when you're frustrated. You say things you don't mean."

  Sakura nodded, though she wasn't entirely convinced.

  "It's just been a rough patch," Tsubaki continued, forcing brightness into her voice. "But things are looking up lately. Mizuki has gotten back into training, and he has some better prospects coming up after the exams."

  "That's good," Sakura said, unsure what else to add. The atmosphere between them had shifted, becoming slightly uncomfortable.

  Tsubaki seemed to sense it too, because she quickly changed the subject. "Enough about my problems. Tell me more about these fertility enhancements. How exactly do they work?"

  Relieved to be on safer ground, Sakura began explaining. "Well, the main issue with kunoichi pregnancies is chakra drain. When both parents are ninja, the developing child naturally draws chakra from the mother at a much higher rate than civilian pregnancies. That's why most female ninja can only have one or two children at most before their chakra networks are permanently damaged."

  Tsubaki nodded, listening intently. "And your modifications fix that?"

  "They're designed to," Sakura said. "Queen Joousa's elixirs have restructured my chakra network to create what she calls 'reserve pools' that can be tapped into during pregnancy without compromising my main chakra system."

  "Fascinating," Tsubaki murmured, her eyes lingering on Sakura's ears and the pink fur visible at her wrists. "And the physical changes? Are those necessary for the fertility enhancements to work?"

  Sakura shifted uncomfortably. "Not... exactly. They're more of a side effect. Queen Joousa says she could probably refine the process to minimize the physical alterations, but I've mostly gotten used to them now."

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  "They suit you," Tsubaki said, though Sakura couldn't tell if she was being sincere. "And Sasuke clearly doesn't mind them."

  "He says they make me unique," Sakura admitted with a small smile.

  "Smart boy," Tsubaki said, picking up her tea again. "Men appreciate a woman who stands out from the crowd."

  She took a sip, studying Sakura over the rim of her cup. "You know, if you're worried about your appearance, I have some contacts in the T&I division who specialize in disguise techniques. They could teach you how to use a sustained transformation jutsu to look more... conventional when needed."

  "I don't think I want to hide who I am," Sakura said firmly. "Besides, the transformation would be a constant chakra drain."

  "True," Tsubaki conceded. "Though sometimes blending in has its advantages." A wistful expression crossed her face. "To be young and have so many opportunities and options. I envy you, Sakura."

  "Me?" Sakura blinked in surprise.

  "Of course. You're brilliant, you're already making a name for yourself, and you have the Uchiha heir's attention." Tsubaki gestured with her chopsticks. "Your future is wide open."

  There was a hint of bitterness in her tone that Sakura couldn't miss. She felt a pang of sympathy for the older woman.

  "It's not too late for you, either," she offered. "Lots of kunoichi don't reach their peak until their thirties or even forties."

  Tsubaki gave a hollow laugh. "Sweet of you to say, but the truth is, once you're labeled as 'average' in this village, it's very hard to change people's minds." She sighed. "I'm stuck as a low-level chunin, and Mizuki's career has stalled. It's... not what I pictured for myself."

  "I'm sorry," Sakura said sincerely.

  Tsubaki shook herself, as if physically dispelling her gloom. "Well, we can't all be prodigies, can we?" She forced a smile. "More tea?"

  As Tsubaki refilled their cups, Sakura found herself wondering about the woman's relationship with Mizuki. There seemed to be genuine affection there, but also calculation and perhaps even resentment. It made her reflect on her own feelings for Sasuke—did she truly love him for himself, or was she also drawn to the status and advantages that came with being close to him?

  She thought of how much she'd changed herself for him and felt a flicker of doubt.

  "So," Tsubaki said, interrupting Sakura's thoughts, "tell me about your training for the finals. I bet Kakashi is teaching you all sorts of amazing jutsu."

  "Actually, he's been focusing more on refining what I already know," Sakura said. "Building my stamina and chakra control even further."

  "Seems like a waste," Tsubaki remarked. "With your intelligence, you could master complex techniques quickly."

  "Kakashi-sensei says a solid foundation is more important than flashy jutsu," Sakura defended, though privately, she sometimes shared Tsubaki's frustration.

  "He's not wrong," Tsubaki acknowledged. "But at some point, you need more than just the basics if you want to advance." She leaned forward. "You know, Mizuki has access to some interesting scrolls from his time working with... well, from before. If you're interested, I'm sure he wouldn't mind sharing."

  "What kind of scrolls?" Sakura asked, curiosity piqued despite her wariness.

  "Techniques that aren't in the standard Konoha library," Tsubaki said with a meaningful look. "Things that could give you an edge."

  Sakura hesitated. On one hand, additional training material was always welcome. On the other, if these scrolls had connections to Orochimaru...

  "I'd have to ask Kakashi-sensei first," she said carefully.

  Tsubaki waved a hand dismissively. "Of course, of course. Just an offer." She glanced at her watch. "Oh, would you look at the time! I should be getting back. Mizuki will be wondering where I am."

  As they finished their meal and prepared to leave, Tsubaki grabbed the check before Sakura could reach for it. "My treat, remember? Consider it a small investment in Konoha's rising star."

  "Thank you," Sakura said, still a bit uncomfortable with how the conversation had gone but grateful for the meal.

  Outside the restaurant, Tsubaki gave her a quick hug. "Think about what I said, okay? About those special techniques—for combat or otherwise." She winked. "And remember, the right man is worth changing yourself for, but not if he doesn't appreciate the effort."

  With that cryptic advice, she waved goodbye and headed off down the street, leaving Sakura standing there with her thoughts in turmoil.

  The afternoon sun was sinking lower in the sky as Sakura made her way home, mulling over everything Tsubaki had said. The woman's attitudes toward relationships seemed mercenary, almost predatory—viewing men as stepping stones rather than partners. Was that really how some kunoichi thought? Was that the path Sakura herself was on without realizing it?

  She thought about how dramatically she'd changed herself for Sasuke. True, the fertility research had broader applications that could benefit all kunoichi, but she couldn't deny her primary motivation had been to make herself the perfect candidate to rebuild the Uchiha clan.

  Had she gone too far? Was Tsubaki right to "applaud her ambition," or should Sakura be concerned about what she'd been willing to sacrifice?

  Her ears drooped as she walked, lost in thought. She barely noticed the stares of civilians—something she'd grown accustomed to over the past two years. Once, they'd bothered her. Now, they were just background noise.

  Adaptation, Queen Joousa had called it. Humans were remarkably adaptable creatures.

  But there was a fine line between adaptation and losing yourself entirely. Sakura wasn't sure which side of that line she stood on anymore.

  She resolved to talk to Sasuke tomorrow. Not about their relationship—she wasn't ready for that conversation yet—but just to remind herself of why she'd made these choices in the first place. To see if there was still that spark, that connection that had driven her to such lengths.

  And maybe, just maybe, to reassure herself that Sasuke cared for her, Sakura Haruno, not just for what she might offer the last Uchiha.

  As she reached the door to her family's home, she heard her mother call out from the kitchen. The familiar smell of her father's favorite miso soup wafted through the air, comforting and unchanged despite everything else in her life that had shifted.

  Some things, at least, remained constant.

  Sakura's muscles screamed in protest as she slumped against a tree, sweat dripping from her forehead despite the cool evening air. Across the training ground, Sasuke wasn't faring much better. His normally immaculate hair was plastered to his face, and his breathing came in controlled but labored bursts.

  Kakashi, meanwhile, looked as if he'd spent the afternoon leisurely reading rather than running his genin through the most brutal training regimen they'd experienced yet.

  "Well," their sensei said cheerfully, closing his ever-present orange book with a snap, "I think that's enough for today. Same time tomorrow?"

  "Kakashi-sensei," Sakura groaned, "tomorrow is supposed to be our rest day." Her rabbit ears drooped with exhaustion.

  "Is it?" Kakashi's visible eye crinkled in a smile. "My mistake. The day after tomorrow, then."

  Sasuke merely grunted, pushing himself upright with visible effort.

  "Don't look so glum," Kakashi said. "You two are making excellent progress. I'd say you have a real shot against Kiba and Shino—if you work together, of course." He glanced skyward at the darkening clouds. "It'll be night soon. Get some rest."

  With that, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving his two students alone in the training ground.

  "He's enjoying this," Sasuke muttered, walking over to where Sakura sat.

  "Definitely." She accepted his outstretched hand and let him pull her to her feet. "Though I have to admit, I feel stronger already."

  Sasuke nodded. "The finals are in three weeks. At this rate, we'll be ready."

  They gathered their equipment in companionable silence. Sakura kept shooting glances at Sasuke, trying to work up the courage to broach the subject that had been gnawing at her since her conversation with Tsubaki.

  "Sasuke-kun," she finally said as they headed toward the village, "what do you... think of me?"

  He looked at her, confusion evident in his dark eyes. "What do you mean?"

  "I mean..." Sakura twisted her hands together nervously. "Do you think I've changed too much? For the wrong reasons?"

  Sasuke stopped walking, turning to face her fully. "Where is this coming from?"

  Sakura sighed, her ears twitching with anxiety. "I had lunch with Tsubaki yesterday—you know, Mizuki-sensei's fiancée?"

  "Hn."

  "She said some things that got me thinking. About... about why I've done all this." She gestured vaguely at her altered body. "The summons, the changes, everything."

  Sasuke's brow furrowed. "You've always been clear about your goals."

  "That's just it," Sakura said, looking down at her hands—the short, blunt claws that had replaced her nails, the pink fur that covered her forearms beneath her gloves. "Was I doing it for the right reasons? Changing myself just to... to catch your attention?"

  Sasuke was quiet for a long moment, and Sakura fought the urge to fill the silence with nervous chatter. Finally, he spoke.

  "You didn't do it just for me."

  She looked up, surprised. "What?"

  "The fertility research," Sasuke said. "That wasn't just for me. You saw a problem and wanted to fix it."

  "Well, yes, but—"

  "And the summoning contract. You've made it available to others. Hinata signed it."

  "True, but—"

  "The alterations to your body were your choice," Sasuke continued, his voice firm. "No one forced you."

  Sakura bit her lip. "But I did it to be stronger for you."

  "You did it to be stronger, period," Sasuke corrected. "Would you take it back now? Go back to being exactly as you were?"

  She didn't need to consider it long. "No. I wouldn't."

  "Then stop second-guessing yourself." His voice softened slightly. "My mother... I think she would have liked you."

  The comment caught Sakura completely off-guard. Sasuke rarely spoke of his parents.

  "Really?"

  Sasuke nodded, his expression distant. "She valued strength, but not at the expense of kindness. She was... gentle, in her way. But fierce when protecting what mattered to her." He looked at Sakura again. "She would have respected your dedication."

  "And your father?"

  A ghost of a smile crossed Sasuke's face. "He would have been harder to impress. But I think he would have come around eventually."

  Sakura felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words, but something still nagged at her.

  "Tsubaki also said... she said that changing yourself for a man is only worth it if he appreciates the effort."

  Sasuke's expression darkened. "She doesn't know what she's talking about."

  "Doesn't she, though?" Sakura pressed. "I mean, all this time, I've never really known if you..."

  "If I what?"

  "If you see me as anything more than a teammate," she finished in a rush. "If all this—" she gestured at herself again "—has made any difference at all."

  Sasuke stared at her, incredulous. "You're wearing Uchiha earrings," he said flatly. "I gave them to you."

  "Yes, but—"

  "I bought you an entire wardrobe."

  "I know, and it was incredibly generous—"

  "You will be my wife," Sasuke stated with such certainty that Sakura's breath caught in her throat. "Is that clear enough for you?"

  Sakura's heart pounded in her chest. "Sasuke-kun..."

  He looked away, a faint flush creeping up his neck. "Unless you've changed your mind."

  "No!" she exclaimed, then more softly, "No, I haven't. I just... I needed to hear it, I think."

  Sasuke nodded, still not quite meeting her eyes. "Then don't listen to people like Tsubaki. She doesn't understand what we're building."

  The training ground had grown darker as they talked, the last rays of sunlight fading into dusk. In the dim light, Sasuke's face was half in shadow, but Sakura could see the intensity in his eyes when he finally looked at her again.

  "You're strong, Sakura. You always were. The changes just helped you realize it."

  She smiled, feeling lighter than she had in days. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

  They stood there for a moment, the air between them charged with something Sakura couldn't quite name. Then, gathering her courage, she spoke again.

  "The last time you kissed me... you weren't really yourself." She remembered the dark markings spreading across his skin, the cruel gleam in his eyes that wasn't Sasuke at all. "The cursed seal was influencing you."

  Sasuke went very still. "You want another kiss."

  It wasn't a question, but Sakura nodded anyway, her cheeks burning. "If—if you want to."

  Sasuke swallowed visibly, and despite his earlier boldness, his face flushed slightly. He stepped closer to her, hesitantly raising a hand to her face.

  "I want to," he said softly.

  Sakura's heart raced as she closed her eyes, feeling Sasuke's breath against her lips—

  BOOM!

  The explosion rocked the ground beneath their feet, sending both of them staggering backward. A plume of smoke rose from the adjacent training ground, followed by the unmistakable sound of someone cursing.

  Sasuke was instantly alert, his embarrassment forgotten. "Someone could be hurt," he said, already moving toward the source of the commotion.

  Sakura followed, silently cursing whoever had chosen that exact moment to blow something up. They approached stealthily, years of training kicking in as they concealed their presence.

  Peering through a screen of foliage, Sakura's eyes widened at what she saw.

  Kankuro and Tenten stood in the center of a small crater, both covered in soot but seemingly unharmed. Pieces of what appeared to be a puppet mechanism were scattered around them.

  "I told you to adjust the tension!" Tenten was saying, hands on her hips. "That's way too much explosive powder for a launcher that size."

  "The tension was fine," Kankuro argued, brushing debris from his purple-painted face. "It was your detonator design that was off."

  "My design worked perfectly on the previous model!"

  "This isn't the previous model! The distribution system is completely different!"

  Sakura glanced at Sasuke, who was watching the exchange with a raised eyebrow. She noticed how close Tenten and Kankuro were standing to each other, despite their heated argument. There was none of the wariness one would expect between competitors in the upcoming finals.

  "This would be so much easier to see during the day," Tenten sighed, kneeling to examine a twisted piece of metal.

  "And have my sister find out I'm helping you upgrade your weapons?" Kankuro shook his head vigorously. "No way."

  "I thought you'd be more worried about Gaara finding out."

  Kankuro snorted. "Gaara wouldn't care. He's too focused on his own training—and that ice user from Mist."

  Tenten dusted off her hands and stood, fixing Kankuro with a challenging stare. "I could take Temari, you know."

  "Sure you could," Kankuro said, skepticism evident in his voice.

  "Is she worried I'll give information to Neji?" Tenten pressed. "Is that why you're being so secretive?"

  Kankuro shifted uncomfortably. "She's worried about... other things," he muttered, then quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, about the launcher—I think if we reconfigured the spring mechanism here..."

  He moved closer to Tenten, pointing at something in her hand, and Sakura was struck by the easy familiarity between them. There was none of the tension she'd expect between shinobi from different villages—particularly ones that were competing against each other if indirectly.

  Sasuke tapped her shoulder and jerked his head back toward the path. Sakura nodded, and they retreated silently, leaving the unlikely pair to their explosive collaboration.

  "That was... unexpected," Sakura said when they were a safe distance away.

  "Hn," Sasuke agreed. "Fraternizing with the competition."

  "They seemed pretty friendly," Sakura observed. "I never would have guessed Tenten and Kankuro would hit it off like that."

  "Both weapons specialists," Sasuke pointed out. "They probably have a lot in common."

  "Still, with the finals coming up..."

  "It's their business," Sasuke said with a shrug. Then, after a pause: "We should head back. It's getting late."

  Sakura nodded, trying not to show her disappointment that the moment between them had been lost. They walked in silence toward the village, the streets now lit by the gentle glow of lanterns.

  When they reached the intersection where their paths would separate—Sasuke to the Uchiha compound, Sakura to her family's home—they stopped, suddenly awkward again.

  "Thank you for today, Sasuke-kun," Sakura said. "For the training, and... for talking with me."

  Sasuke nodded, his hands in his pockets. "Get some rest. Tomorrow will be just as hard."

  "I thought tomorrow was our rest day?" Sakura said, her whiskers twitching with amusement.

  "For Kakashi, maybe," Sasuke said with a small smirk. "I plan to work on that new fire technique."

  Typical Sasuke. Sakura couldn't help but smile. "Don't push yourself too hard. Even you need to recover sometimes."

  He gave her a look that clearly said 'look who's talking,' but didn't argue. Instead, he did something completely unexpected.

  Stepping forward, he leaned in and pressed a quick, soft kiss to her cheek. Before Sakura could even process what had happened, he was already turning away.

  "Goodnight, Sakura," he said over his shoulder, continuing down the street toward his home.

  Sakura stood there, one hand touching her cheek, watching until his figure disappeared into the darkness. Then, a wide smile spreading across her face, she turned and headed home, exhaustion forgotten.

  Maybe Tsubaki wasn't entirely wrong. Some men were worth changing for.

  But Sasuke was right too—the changes had helped Sakura find the strength that was already inside her. And that was something she would never regret.

  The next morning, Sakura woke with a sense of renewed purpose. Her conversation with Sasuke—and that tentative kiss—had done more than quiet her doubts; it had cemented her resolve.

  She dressed in one of the outfits Sasuke had given her, the Uchiha fan proudly displayed on the back. As she tied her hitai-ate in place, she studied her reflection in the mirror.

  Pink fur covered her forearms and thighs now, her nails were claws, and her feet had reshaped into something closer to a rabbit's paws. Large pink ears stood upright atop her head, sensitive to the smallest sounds. A fluffy cotton tail completed the transformation.

  She was no longer just Sakura Haruno, the kunoichi with perfect chakra control and book smarts. She was something new—something she had created through her own choices, her own strength.

  And if Tsubaki thought that made her weak or foolish, then Tsubaki didn't understand the first thing about her.

  Sakura smiled at her reflection, ears perking up with determination. She had three weeks until the finals, and she intended to be ready—not just for Sasuke, but for herself.

  For the future she was building, one careful choice at a time.