It had been somewhere around eight months since Naruto left and the chunin exams were rolling around again. After having trained extensively with Tsunade, Sakura was sure that she could take them on properly this time around. She had left her house to escape her nagging mother after getting ready and headed immediately to the Hokage tower. While she walked through the village she saw many of the Konoha eleven. She wondered if they were to be participating in the upcoming exams. She was next to certain that Tsunade would recommend her, though it was not yet official.
It was a nice day. The skies were blue and the village went about its normal bustle. It was calming, pleasant, that was until Ino had caught sight of the young pink haired kunoichi. "So, I was just recommended by Lady Tsunade as well as Asuma sensei for the chunin exams. How about you, billboard brow."
"I don't know Ino pig. I was just heading to Tsunade to find out and unlike you I don't need the extra preparation time." Sakura retorted.
"I was heading to the Hokage tower as well. Tsunade summoned me, most likely to tell me how much better of a medical nin I have become than you," and with that the race was on. Butting heads and slowly but viciously increasing speed, their grudge carried them to the tower in question. They scurried up the stairs and slammed their way into Tsunade's office and in unison shouted "I'M HERE MY LADY!"
Tsunade's look of shock dissipated quickly into one of amusement, "as you two probably know you are participating in the chunin exams," with this they both calmed down and looked at Tsunade "seeing as you both don't have a full genin team, you will be placed in a squad together for the exams."
"WHAT?" They both screamed in unison.
"Either you two work together or you have no three man squad to enter the chunin exams with." Tsunade said shaking her head.
"Oh alright," Sakura relented, looking down at her feet dejectedly. Ino said nothing.
"You two are dismissed," both girls then walked out of Tsunade's office and made sure they were a good distance away before the screaming continued.
When their anger died down Ino turned to Sakura seriously "Look billboard brow. I don't want you weighing Choji and I down. Just cause Shikamaru can't be on our team doesn't mean that we are any less effective on our own. Anything that goes wrong will be on you."
Sakura smirked "Oh don't worry Ino pig, I think by the end of this you will be begging for me to be a permanent addition to your team," she said crossing her arms.