Hey everyone, it seems like I have always been a reviewer not a writer, so I decided to change things up on my first and maybe last fanfiction attempt.

I also do not own Naruto.

"This particular root is used for potions specifically to alter the mind. In small dosages it can cause hallucinations. Tasteless and odorless, this rare root can only be attained in dark caverns and picked on the harvest moon every other year.."

Sighing, a pink haired girl shut her particularly thick book and left her room. Being very studious can be a bit tiresome so a little reprieve wouldn't hurt.

Sakura was the most talented member of her family. By the age of five she already spoke comprehensible sentences and was doing algebra for fun. By the age of ten, her parents allowed her to compete on a nation-wide scale in martial arts and before she turned fifteen, she was already offered a full-ride scholarship to the most prestigious college in the country. Sakura, despite all of that, was still down to earth and realistic. She did not skip any years of schooling and made friends of all age brackets because of her warm personality but even hotter temper.

She was also quite the beauty, with her unusual pink hair and emerald eyes she was one who definitely stood out from the crowd. Never did she see the need to wear make-up aside from the fact that her family was too poor to afford such frivolity, she believed in beauty far beyond appearances which made her seem naive to some persons of a more condescending nature.

As of right now Sakura was attending Konoha State, a prestigious university that boasted the royal children coming here for their educational pursuits and had the toughest medical school that only the few and best graduated from. Sakura was ambitious enough to pursue such a goal and dreamed of becoming the best doctor the country ever saw and bring her family up in the social structure. She was standing on the first floor in gray pajama pants and a white tank top while shifting through her mail before one of heavier make caught her eyes.

It was traditionally made, the envelope was of a strong parchment sealed with a red-wax stamp and in front was her name in curvy, elegant scrawl. To her consternation there was no return address. Curious, she walked up a set of stairs towards her dorm room and broke the seal easily. Slowly, her eyes roved the lighter weighted parchment and gradually her eyebrows began to knit downwards. So much was she into her reading that she had not realized that she stopped a few feet from her room and was standing in the middle of the hallway,

"You're blocking me from getting to the bathroom on time." That cold, commanding voice snapped her back into reality and she sighed,

"Sasuke" She stepped aside but to her surprise, he stopped.

"You got one too" He mused, "Hn." He then continued on his way to the men's shower carrying a black towel and a shower caddy full of his exspensive shampoos and soaps.

Frowning, she watched as her friend made his way down the hall and disappear once he rounded the corner. Yeah he was an ass but over the years they came to better understand one another, through their various competitions growing up in academics and sports, to her short albeit stalker-ish obsession over him when she was younger. They were quite the pair, but never a couple which was fine with her, she rather loved being single and not tied to one person who would demand her attention she would otherwise put into studying.

Once again, she looked down at the soft parchment and re-read:

Sakura Haruno,

You are hereby invited to attend a royal gathering at the Konoha Castle. We shall send a few servants to retrieve you a week from now, pack accordingly.

Straight and to the point. Sakura frowned thinking it odd that a formal invitation did not hold the verboseness most would assume a royal-stamped letter would carry. As she entered her room, she took in it's cramped quarters and brick covered walls. A periodic table of elements was on the wall adjacent to her bed while her desk was cluttered with her laptop, various papers, pens and the occasional green paper clips. Her small closet barely accommodated her clothes, shoes and mini refrigerator but even with the cramped space, this room was her private sanctuary that always calmed her nerves.

Sighing, she threw open her closet and mused aloud: "Pack accordingly." She repeated before whispering in a mixture of confusion and spite, "What the hell does that mean?"

-=-=-

Sakura let out another sigh of irritation as she glanced at her wrist watch. Both she, Sasuke and Naruto were standing outside in the middle of the vast courtyard the University boasted. The various types of fauna was often pictured at the front of the University's brochure and the numerous awards were displayed in its own trophy case near the entrance of the library. Usually such a grand place was filled with various students however that was not the case today. Today it was just them, each with their backpacks slung over their shoulders. The three of them both received invitations and all of them expressed their relief that they were going into another situation watching each other backs. It was gut instinct that drove them to pack ready for any given situation, there was something off about the beautiful but curt invitation they each received and the gods be damned if they were going into a such a place unprepared. They were a team through and through and no matter what, be it over-active imaginations or not, they were going to stick by each others side like they always have been since they were little.

The trio have been inseparable since upon their first meeting during elementary school, though it was a bit of a rocky start with Naruto and Sasuke constantly at each other's throats. Sakura had to come between them several times before fists were being thrown and the group never fell into place until a year later whereupon their parents enrolled them in karate and they competed in their first tournament against a rival dojo. Both Naruto and Sasuke were chosen to compete together in the team bracket by their sensei claiming that alone they were strong, together, if they worked as a team, they would be outstanding. They lost their first round which devastated the boys and from sheer determination, both Sasuke and Naruto fought their way to the top and won. Sakura, at that moment in time was not much of a fighter and lost in the first two rounds. She however excelled in the kata and weapons kata division where she had no equal.

Sakura couldn't imagine her life without those two numskulls.

"When are they going to show up?"

"Perhaps you should learn a little more patience." Sasuke kept both his eyes closed as he leaned against the old stone wall with his arms tightly crossed.

"Teme" Naruto began, "Sakura's right, we can't stand here waiting for them to get us all day! I could be going to my classes or at practice right now."

"Since when did you go to class dobe?"

"Enough" Sakura glared at each boy, "If they don't show up soon, I am going to class and if they still want me, they can find me."

A powerful chill ran down the trio's spines and they immediately looked at one another. With senses on high alert, Naruto fell silent and Sakura tensed while a small tick formed in Sasuke's jaw. They all felt a strong group coming into the area at a rapid pace and the fight or flight instinct was kicking in.

"I haven't felt such power in a while" Sakura murmured.

"Hn" Sasuke's black eyes snapped open when four sets of feet softly landed before them.

The three young students wearily watched as the white-armored clad warriors formed rank, their expressionless masks meant for intimidation set the trio aback for a moment before they gathered their wits and watched as the new comers began walking towards them.

"You the bastards who're going to take us to the castle?" Ever eloquent and full of bravado, Naruto's loud exclamation carried across the empty courtyard and Sakura fought the urge to roll her eyes at her friend's mannerisms. "You're late"

The leader stepped forward, being the tallest of the group he posed an intimidating sight and he inclined his masked face,

"There was no specified time on your invitations so we could not possibly be late if a time was not agreed and set upon."

Before Naruto could yell, Sasuke spoke, "Are we to travel by foot?"

"Would that be a problem?"

The ANBU were testing them. Every part of her was screaming that this was carefully planned, as though to gauge their reactions and memorize them accordingly,

"You're the legendary ANBU" Sakura stated, "The royals secret soldiers meant to track and kill."

"Not much of a secret if you know about it" Naruto added with a smug look.

"Why is it, the royals would send ANBU to retrieve their guests?" Sasuke coldly added. "Wouldn't your normal servants suffice?"

"Under normal circumstances young Uchiha, then yes. As it is, you three are honored guests who are to be graced with the presence of the royals and the knowledge of where they live."

Sakura and Sasuke traded a look as Naruto plowed on,

"But why would they all of a sudden trust us to know where their place is?"

"They wouldn't dobe." Sasuke carefully watched the group, "They are to knock us out and carry us there."

Before Naruto could draw another breath, he fell to the ground like a rock, followed by Sakura and then Sasuke.

Each subordinate bent down and flung their respective charges over their shoulders and the one carrying Naruto grunted,

"These three are gonna be trouble I can feel it."

"Are you sure it's not the weight of the child that's getting to you and your old bones Shade?"

Shade did not reply and instead followed his leader as they once again took off with unparalleled speed and grace heading northwest and by the end of the day, they were at the castle and deposited their charges in separate chambers and locked their front doors.

They, as well as the other guests, needed to rest for come tomorrow they will no longer dream peacefully. Come tomorrow afternoon chaos will ensue and their life will never be the same.

So how is my first attempt at writing a fanfiction? Please give me feed back, I am a person who likes to improve so anything you can give me would be appreciated.