She was nothing special, really. Her with her pink bublegum hair which people always asked if it was dyed and her exotic jade colored eyes were the only things unique about her. She was one in a dozen. Something ordinary and plain, something you'd see everyday. Yet she's placed on a team of legends. She didn't know what to feel about that.

One had a powerful dojutsu and came from a strong clan. The other was the freaking fourth hokage's son aswell as the cointainer for the nine tailed fox. The last one was a jounin, ex-anbu and one of Konoha's most elite. They had greatness written all over them.

Which leaves her, a twelve year old civillian girl with no special kekai genkai and no clan. She had her bool smarts and chalra control but that was it. Her ninjutsu and taijutsu was below average. Her chakra stores were underdeveloped. She was nothing compared to those three.

It baffle's her how the hokage placed her on this team.

Though, Sakura only hopes she could keep up, while they run farther and farther away from her reach.

lll

She wanted to get strong, she wanted to be able to stand side-by-side with them instead of only staring at their backs as she is left behind. But how can she? No one would be willing to teach her. Her own sensei would rather spend more time training Naruto or Sasuke than the only girl on his squad.

So the young girl did what she could. She went to the library and started teaching herself. Sakura would borrow books, read them and start doing what it instructed until she got the hang of it.

I learned more from books than Kakashi-sensei, Sakura thought to herself while reading a book about casting genjutsu's one day.

It was all going well until someone found out.

lll

Kurenai Yuhi was a kind and patient woman, not to mention a genjutsu expert. Sakura first met the older kunoichi while she was practicing how to cast a low-level genjutsu. She started by giving her tips and a few pointers to showing her how to cast an actual genjutsu.

"You need to know what you want to project for it to work, otherwise you'd only waste your chakra." She advised.

Sakura did as she was told and was able to succesfully cast a C-rank genjutsu on her sixth try. Kurenai rewarded her by teaching her other stronger and harder genjutsu, aswell as how to detect one.

"Sakura, may I ask you a question?" She asked while they were taking a break under the shade of a tree.

The pinkette gave her a confused look but nodded anyway. "Sure."

"Why were you training here alone, don't you have a team or jonin instructor to help you?" She asked out. She felt angry that someone would leave behind their own teammate.

A flash of saddness was in her emerald eyes which didn't go unnoticed by the genjutsu expert.

"Well, I figured I might teach myself, y'know? Sensei only has eyes for my two teammate's, I didn't want to burden him to much... so I tried teaching myself." She spoke quietly while staring at the grassy floor.

"But isn't that why you have a teacher? Surely he wouldn't ignore you so much. Who exactly is your sensei anyway, Sakura?" Kurenai was puzzled by what she heard. Why would someone ignore her? She had the brains and skill for genjutsu all she needed was someone to guide her and help her.

"My jounin sensei is Hatake Kakashi."

Ah. Hatake.

Now it's clear. Kakashi wasn't exactly the approachble or teacher type. She would know since she knew him back when they were still in the academy. Kakashi wasn't good with children, so why would the Hokage give him three genin?

"But what about your teammate's? Can I ask who they are?" She questioned again.

"They fight with eachother alot. One's the second heir to the Uchiha Clan, Sasuke Uchiha the other is Naruto Namikaze, the fourth's son." Now that Kurenai thinks about it, it started making sense as to why the yondaime would place them all together. Naruto was Minato-sama's son so he would place him on a team with a person he knew he could trust. Kakashi was on his old team instantly making him a good candidate. Sasuke was placed because Kakashi would be able to protect him. Sakura was placed simply to have an even number of genin.

Kurenai sighed sadly at the young girls predictament.

"Tell you what, I'll teach you since your sensei is too blind to see your talents. Meet me in training ground 27 at exactly 5 am on the dot." She said before she could take it back.

What was she doing?

Sakura looked at her wide eyed before a large smile appeared on her face. Something like... hope? flashed in her forest gree eyes as she looked at her like she had done a huge favor for her.

To the Haruno it probably did.

Kurenai coughed awkwardly before the young genin stopped smiling, though she still had a small grin on her face.

"Now go home and rest for the day. We have a long day tomorow." The black haired woman said and the two parted their ways.

lll

Somewhere in a random location, Kakashi sneezed. He grabbed a tissue and wiped his nose.

Was someone talking about him?

What bad timing. He thought before continiuing on his day.

Author's Note:

In this universe, the Uchiha Massacre never happened, Minato and Kushina are alive and Obito is alive but Rin died instead of him. So the kyuubi couldn't have killed them.

I couldn't think of any other reason for Sasuke to be placed on team seven so appologies if it sounds lame or something.

edited on 5/14