Snakes are Venomous, Flowers are Poisonous

Chapter 23: Encouragement

Sakura watched as the shoji doors snapped shut, sealing her great-grandmother and sensei inside. She resisted the urge to bit her lip as she wondered what they were going to talk about; obviously, they were talking about her, but what exactly? She was getting sick and tired of having adults talk about her without her being present, and potentially deciding her fate without her input. Orochimaru was better, but time after time, he would send her away while he talked to those in her life. Maybe he was following tradition, maybe he had other reasons. So far, he had alterative motives that would be less threatening if she was present.

When they had gone to visit her old classmates, she knew he sent her away so he could talk to their parents privately. With their children out of the room, they would talk more freely and allow him to twist them to his will. But, could he possibly do the same tactic with Reiko?

The image of both of them sipping tea and having a battle of wits sent a shiver down Sakura's spine.

On second thought, she was glad she wasn't in there. She didn't need to be crushed between their impressive egos.

"So..."

Glancing over to her silent companion, Sakura frowned. He was wearing a tan cloak that covered his whole body, and if she had to guess, he had Suna origins. His face was passive and emotionless as he stood next to her like a statue. There was something almost uncanny about him that she couldn't put her finger on, but knowing Reiko, the woman wasn't above hiring people with questionable backgrounds. She had to wonder if he was from Suna, if he knew Gaara and his siblings; or, she was simply assuming. Just because they looked a bit similar didn't mean they were related. After all, everyone assumed she had gotten her hair color from her mother and they were always surprised to see her mother.

At the sound of her voice, his eyes flickered over to her, and she swore he looked slightly annoyed at her mere presence. Puffing her cheeks out, Sakura glared back.

"You don't have to babysit me. I have enough already."

"Reiko-sama's orders are to guard you." His voice was flat, still not fully facing her as if she wasn't worth the effort.

"Didn't she hire you to be her bodyguard? Just stay here and wait for her."

"You don't get to tell me what to do, little girl."

"Little?!" She yelped. Balling up her fist, she took a step closer to him, shoving her face close to his. "You're one to talk! You're barely taller than me!"

Instead of answering, he sent her a scathing look. Clenching her jaw, Sakura wanted to punch him, but refrained only because she didn't need to get in trouble for fighting with her grandmother's bodyguard. Who knew how much she was paying him.

Glaring at him did nothing to change anything, so Sakura decided to use what she could to get a rise out of him. Growing up, she had gotten used to her parents hiring bodyguards for when they traveled, either as a family or in a caravan. Back then, she had enjoyed having an adult forced to stay with her at all times and thus a captive audience to bombard either with random facts she had read about, or like most children, a flurry of questions. She had chased a few bodyguards away when she had started to learn how to be a shinobi and how to kill people. Her father claimed that she had been called 'a little demon' quite a few times.

Thinking back to those times, Sakura let an evil smile spread across her face.

Just like those times, this bodyguard was required to stay with her no matter what she did or where she went. With the way he still barely looking in her direction, Sakura began to formulate a plan.