A/N: I know some things may not match. That is intentional. However, if something may seem to be blatantly off, please feel free to mention it. Enjoy and I love feedback.
How would I fight him? How would I win? I'm a nobody and he is a Nara!
I didn't know the man from Kami. Ino talked some about him sure, in between her obsessive Sausage talk. He and Chougi were friends. He was lazy unlike Sasuke. He didn't talk a lot, worse than Sauce. He was super smart but nothing compared to Sasuke.
Everything she said about him was "Unlike Sasuke". So what was I to assume when pitted against him in the final form of the Chunin Exams? Did he have any skills. Did he have any extra special jutsu? Anything that could be used against me in a battle of torment and kill me before I had a chance to defend myself? It's not like she gave me any useful information.
Will you just stop please? Stop asking questions and actually go do research!
But how? You can't exactly go and ask about heirs of clans without raising some suspicion or getting the whole world to lock up like an S-class mission.
For years I have been talking to my inner. She was sometimes my inspiration, sometimes my much-needed kick in the butt, and sometimes my one and only confidant.
However, she was right. I can't just keep going on like this. This was a tournament and I had one month to prepare. Most ninja went into all scenarios preparing for the worst and hoping for the best. As a paper ninja, this was my best opportunity to prepare. I should be thrilled…no, I AM thrilled. I have a full month too. Not only prepare myself, but prepare how to take the Nara in a way that even his "unlike Sasuke" crazy mind would expect.
Hell Yeah! We are going to fucking do this!
But where to start? The library of course. I began walking from my small apartment on the outside of town.
I loved this apartment. Ever since my family died when I was 5, the Sandaime put me in this one room 2 story apartment. As a young sprout he knew I was going to become a ninja. I don't know why he was so interested in me, but soon he became just like my ojiisan but better. I could always go to him when things were rough or when I felt truly alone. He just listened, he never judged me and he knew I could help myself. Even better he would treat me to Dango when he wasn't too busy. He was the closest family I had now.
My apartment was pragmatically decorated. One bed, a black frame Black sheets and red pillows. A myriad of weapons was mounted and kept ready for use on my wall. My favorite was my naginata. Not quite a shinobi weapon, but I figured all weapons were shinobi weapons. If it could be used to cut and kill? Then it counted.
The dining room had a small dining table and two chairs. More often than not it was used as a desk rather than an actual food table. I was not exactly the best at cooking and my refrigerator was constantly empty. Who needs food when so many places cook for me? Even though I had a full and beautiful kitchen, I haven't even turned on the stove yet.
Simple yet practical, nothing like my old home, but still mine just the same.
It's been 7 years.
Each window was surrounded with dark black out curtains, traps, and an alarm system anytime anyone got too close. I hated to admit it since to shinobi should ever be scared, but sometimes the noises at night made me a bit paranoid. I know I was supposed to feel safe in my own home, but in this life, nothing can guarantee safety. My parents were killed in a home break in. Nothing could have saved them on that pointless night. I wasn't there, I was at a sleepover with my friend Ino and came home to such a mess. There were smears all over the dark walls. As I walked from room to room I slowly comprehended we were missing things. Isn't that strange? Everything was so wrong. Yet I could see that my favorite piece of sunset art that my mommy bought and we watched together every night was gone. Our radio, where my papa argued with the news was nowhere to be seen. The pretty seashell I found by the beach on a trip to Wave Country and had to bring home for my mommy and papa had disappeared. That mattered, these were the memories. These were home. What had happened? I walked into the hallway and tripped over something in the walkway.
That's strange, mommy always cleans…
At the time I didn't realize that voice wasn't mine. I wasn't exactly focused. And then I felt my hands…why were they wet? That doesn't make sense. I looked up and saw two sets of eyes staring blankly in terror back at me. I froze…
The rest is still a little fuzzy. Ojii-san says I was disassociating to deal with the terror. I always liked that he spoke to me like that…like I was an adult. And I could understand things. I wasn't the smartest kunoichi in my class for no reason. But it was also that night that Inner reared her head. If I am honest with myself, it was Inner that helped me not join them in the grave. It was Inner that made me eat and get out of bed when I didn't want to. It was Inner that I talked to about the nightmares that felt so real. It was Inner that was my comfort when the night noises got too strange.
Though the details were fuzzy the police report was glaringly clear. A burglary gone wrong as they put it. This group was a deadly thing in Konoha. The would send someone in claiming sickness or injury and needed aid. When the caring victims opened the door the rest would rush in and tie them up, take what they want and leave. Usually just leaving scared people losing the comfort their once safe haven had brought. Tonight one was apparently drugged up, and as my father attempted to protect my mother they were slaughtered. The gang was caught running away from the scene as my neighbors had heard screaming and sent a messenger hawk to the police station.
In the following interview, the deranged man that had killed my family didn't even recall the blood, just the feeling the high had given him. I watched him and his gang be executed with a smile on my face. He deserved to die much more unpleasantly. They all did. But at least their life ended just as my mommy and papas had. They would not live on while my parents greeted the great Kami in the afterlife.
I jumped back to the present, shaking my head, my pink locks getting into my watery eyes. As I pushed it back to the confines behind my ears, I looked up and realized my feet had taken me straight where I wished to be. My home away from home, the glorious place of knowledge, the 5 story library that was open every single day all day. I used to come here when the nightmares were bad and nothing could make them go away. This would chase away the demons that had been haunting me. I would read tales of heroes fighting to save the princess, princesses who didn't need saving, and then facts about the world. Political information of the great shinobi nations, matters of the meetings between the Daimyos. Who had the most power? Who had the most missing nin? What was the correct bow to greet a lord vs lord's wife? So much information. That was power, the more people knew the better they were.
If my family knew that it was better to not open their door for anyone claiming they're hurt without proof. If my ojiisan knew that sealing the Kyuubi into a baby would cause such animosity from the villagers. If I knew that talking to the other children around my age rather than hiding from their words would take me out of their eyesight.
Maybe things just might have been better.
Knowledge is power and that will always work out for me in the end. It is knowledge that will let me beat that Nara into the ground and let me be a Chunin.
I walk in and nod to Kimi-san. She's usually here about this time. One benefit of being here all the time is no one asks me if I need help. I know the Dewey-decimal system better than most of the attendants here.
Naibuke, Nastasuma, Nastingi,….Nara!
In the historical section about Konoha, they devote an entire section on clans. I thought it was brilliant myself. With as much as they change around and are so finicky about who they address first during a meeting, I'm glad to have as much information on them as I can. I started skimming the entries for the most important. Sadly, it was very basic information.
Established at the beginning of Konoha, the Nara clan provides a strong support system for the Kage and is the least confrontational of the 'clan' structure. During the uprising of the Uchiha clan, the Nara's joined forces with the Hyuga and the Aburame clan in the best protection the village had seen. It is believed that due to Nara Shikaku's interference, Uchiha Itachi did not kill his little brother. Through the Yamanaka clans Yamanaka Inoichi, the youngest Uchiha was interrogated and believed to not be a suspect. The Inuzuka clan gave chase, though lost the Uchiha through the Village Hidden in the Stone.
There is a known bond with the Yamanaka, Akimichi, and Nara clan. It is said that each of the youngest clan members are given earrings from their parents the instant they achieve the rank of genin until they achieve the rank of chunin to keep the oaths of their parents in their minds and in their hearts.
There wasn't much more information to be gained. Except maybe leave the earring alone so I don't achieve the enmity of the related clans. Ino I wasn't as concerned about, but I wasn't that close with Choji.
I couldn't help the sigh escaping me. No help here, what else can I do? Maybe it was time to do some surveillance around Konoha. If I observe the Nara in action I should be able to learn something! At least more than I know now. With that excitement, I leave the library not noticing that it was evening already. The local restaurants had lit lantern to encourage those out past sunset to visit their establishments. The night had a small chill but it didn't bother me. I had a plan, I could win, I was heaven and earth!
Wouldn't hurt you to actually do the "earth" part of that heaven and Earth mumbo jumbo Iruka-sensei was talking about.
Inner grumbled. I suppose she wasn't wrong. I may have surpassed many of my colleagues in intellect, but I was sorely lacking in the physical department. My muscles were sub par. I avoid running whenever I can. My waist was small and so were my arms. I probably couldn't lift anything over 50lbs. And then my clothes! I looked down at my dress. It was flashy, but It was the last thing mommy bought me. She wore this type of outfit all the time and she said when I became a young lady I could look like her too. A red dress surrounded by white trim and sandals. My long hair was draped over my shoulders with my long bangs.
CRASH
As I was contemplating my outfit I ran into someone and in turn, we were both knocked on our butts. I cringed and glanced up murmuring "Sorry" instead of hearing anything back there was growling. I could only see the hint of a human leg and a three very large dogs. I must have been lacking any semblance of sense because truly all I saw were "PUPPIES!" I reached out to grab the three together and cuddle them like my very life depended on it.
"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know I ran into such amazing animals. They're so cute and so adorable and so loving and so…ARGHHGHGHG PUPPIES!" I was rambling, so sue me. I will never apologize for loving doggers.
"Echm hem…" An amused voice made me look up into the face of an Inuzuka. Based on her appearance and three lovables I have just been mauling I would say, Inuzuka Hana. I pause in my cuddles with her companions and stand up. The three pups go back and huddle around her legs, apparently not used to a strange girl groping them.
With a quick bow to the elder sister, I rush to say "I am so sorry Inuzuka-san, I was not paying attention and I ran into you. Please forgive me."
She wasn't responsive initially. "What were you thinking about with such…abandon?" I shrugged "I realized that, though I'm moving onto the next stage of the exams I have no sensei. I may be able to teach myself a lot but I suppose I'm lacking on the physical training. I don't know exactly what to do at this point. However, there is no reason for me to not pay attention." Another bow "Please forgive me".
She tilted her head with a small frown "Who might you be going up against Haruno-san?" I flinch as she states my name. I wonder how she knew?
Pink hair dumbass.
Oh…I guess I am the only one in Konoha with it, aren't I?
Duh. Now pay attention!
You were the one distracting me!
Inuzuka-san was still waiting for an answer. "Nara Shikamaru, I have heard of him but I really have no information other than his shadow capture he used on that girl in preliminaries."
The chunin smirked. Maybe she already heard about the incident? I don't believe anything in these exams is exactly confidential, and she is a brother to Kiba, maybe he told her.
"And you have no sensei? No one to show you the ropes or give you a way to take that Nara clan down a peg or two?" I started a bit at her tone. "No Inuzuka-san, just me. Naruto was arranged for and Sasuke is with Kakashi-sensei for his training." I tried not to let the bitterness show through to my tone but It was difficult. Was it so hard to care about all three of us in this exam? Weren't we supposed to at least support our teammates? Did his whole trash speech mean nothing?
The smirk seemed to grow. "When you ran into me just now, why did you jump after my companions with such great zeal? They are trained to kill, you are very lucky they didn't take you out immediately."
Not noticing her apparent amusement, I bowed again realizing how rude I was being. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have touched them without permission. But they were so cute and they looked like they wanted a snuggle and I have no self-control…" I bit my lip and thought how awkward it would look if I shoved my literal foot into my literal overly large mouth.
She chuckled. "Ya know, people truly tend to avoid my boys. They could do with some extra care sometimes." She seemed to perk up a bit more at my confusion.
"Sakura-Chan I believe I have the solution to your problem. I can help you train for this exam, and whatever you may need to learn in the interim!" I was thrilled, I would have a sensei? One just for me? This didn't seem real! It couldn't be real. I was cautious again.
"Inuzuka-san that would be so amazing! But…why? What can I do for you?" I felt a cold nose under my hand and felt a little more at ease.
"Because my boys like you, if they didn't you would be dead." She said it so seriously that I had no issue believing her. "And we need to teach people some manners. Hatake has no reason to abandon you like that and the Nara clan truly gets on my nerve. Wouldn't it be great if a pink haired kunoichi was the one to take them down."
I smiled, I couldn't help it. She seemed to actually want to help, and I couldn't doubt her authenticity. I bowed "I am Haruno Sakura, and I would be honored for you to train me."
When I looked up there was a large grin on her face "Meet me tomorrow at training ground 5, 0800. We have a lot of work to do."