Chapter 11

Currently in the hokage office, the third hokage sat laid back in his chair smoking a pipe. His face had a frown as he looked at his table. More precisely he was frowning at the stacks and stacks of paperwork on his table. No matter how much he worked or how long he worked on them they never seemed to decrease in any way. In fact, he felt the more he worked, the larger the pile grew. He was so happy to have escaped when he retired and yet, here he was again with the blasted paperwork.

"Maybe if I use blast it away with Fire Release: Flame Thrower, they will never come back." The third hokage sighed as he closed his eyes not wanting to take another look at this nemesis of his. Suddenly he opened his eyes and stood from his chair and ordered, "Anbu, do not follow.", before disappearing from his position.

The third hokage appeared on the roof of the office in his hokage robes and hat with his hands behind his back. When he saw the person standing before him, he was very pleasantly surprised. His aged face beamed with smiles. He never thought he would get the chance to speak to her like this anymore now since she became a mother. Haruno Mebuki.

"Hello Lord third. It has been a while." Mebuki bowed slightly.

"It really has, Mebuki. How is the family? And Sakura? I heard she is quite bright in her class." Hiruzen hurled a few questions towards her nonstop. He could not help himself. He was truly glad to she had come see him. She was his sharpest sword after all, until she decided to quit and become a housewife. So, to see her in front of him now, maybe, just maybe, her intention was to return?

"Actually, that is the reason for my coming here today. I intend to pull Sakura out of the academy." Mebuki replied with a straight face. Her tone indicating there was no room for negotiations.

Hiruzen's face saddened slightly but was quickly replaced with a look of interest. "Please tell me why you would want to do that? From what you told me, you wanted a peaceful life, did you not?"

"This is something Sakura herself wanted. Quite honestly I would have preferred she had a simple life in the village." She replied but lifted her hand to stop the third hokage from speaking as she realized he was about to speak and continued, "It is something we have decided on, and honestly I only came to inform you as a form of respect.".

She ended her statement with her usual stern face, trying to let the hokage know she had no intention of changing her mind. At this point the third hokage was panicking; She was one of the more powerful kunoichi, in fact, ninja he had ever had work under him.

Even as a retired kunoichi, she was still a valuable asset to the village, and now there was a chance she would leave. Even worse was, if there was any chance her daughter was anything like her mother then he would have lost two swords for the village.

*sigh* "Mebuki, we are living in peaceful times now, I don't think you have to go to that extreme. If it is about protection, although I am not supposed to tell you this, I have already arranged for your daughter to be put under Kakashi when she graduates. No matter what, this village still provides protection from old enemies." He began to throw a last-ditch effort to get her to stay until a wave of killing intent crashed down on him.

At that moment he may have gone a bit too far. He had seen her more than a few times with her husband laughing crazily at her husband's terrible jokes, living a simple life as a civilian for so long that he might have forgotten how unreasonable and quick tempered she got. The wave of killing intent just made him happy and sad at the same time. Happy, because it looked like she had not lost a beat and sad because she might actually leave and never return.

"I apologize Mebuki, I may have been out of line." The killing intent receded after Hiruzen spoke. Mebuki's sudden sharp gaze returned to the usual stern look. It seemed there was nothing he could say to keep her from leaving. Hopefully she would still be allied to Konoha and could be called on when needed.

Mebuki's stern look softened as she stared at Hiruzen. She never could stay mad at the old man for too long. Just as she was about to speak, she seemed to have sensed something as she looked towards the hokage mountain. Tracing her gaze, seemingly understanding, Hiruzen sent his senses to that location and shortly after they both flickered from their location.