Ambition

Pairings: SasuHina, with many minor Hina x ... pairings, then eventually SasuHina again, many minor Saku x ... pairings, eventual Saku bashing, but eventually will be a long long long time away, so no need to worry about that. It follows main story plot sort of, and will branch completely off course as time goes on.

Synopsis: Well you'll just have to find out : )

Disclaimer: Characters are Kishimoto's, I'm just making them do stuff I want to.

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Sakura Haruno.

We all knew her. Key word, knew.

She changed, as people do, and sometimes, not for the best.

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Leaning the forehead which she so hated on the glass mirror, she stared into her opal green eyes, watery with tears. It was disgusting what she saw, thin, pale, weird, disgusting. Why couldn't she be like Ino? Why couldn't she be... perfect. Running her fingers through the long pink locks, she felt for the red ribbons that her idol had bestowed upon her. She ripped it from her hair, letting the dank fringe curtain over her biggest imperfection. She was a ninja now. There would be no more hiding behind her superior ex-friend. There would be no more second best, and that was when everything began to change.

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"Ino."

"Sakura."

Ino thought it ironic, that they were standing in a field of flowers, the same infact, that they had been in the very first day they had become friends. It was a sense of lost nostalgia that Sakura had indeed bloomed, she just had never imagined that Sakura would do it alone, and it stung. Friends were meant to stick together, yet here they were, Sakura about deal out the final blow. Reaching out a slender arm, she presented a red ribbon, Ino stared at it, speechless.

"This is yours Ino. I don't want it anymore."

She frowned, the wind darting through the clearing to push her on, to never break in front of the one she used to call friend. She took it, and that was it. The signing of the contract, we can't be friends anymore, and Ino had been kicked, by the lamb she made strong, without any remorse in that stupid lamb's eyes.

"Fine."

"We're now rivals. Sasuke-kun can only pick one of us."

Ino snorted, this is deeper that Sasuke-kun, this cut deeper puppy love, deeper than rivalry. This was a friendship you're cutting. I hope you understand that Sakura. I can only hope one day you'll look back on this and tell yourself it was the stupidest thing you've ever done.

Ino let the words and emotions go unspoken, and they walked their separate ways. Once and for all.

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Power was all that mattered in the shinobi world. You don't have power, and you fall. It was a kill or be killed situation. Those were the facts, and Sakura lived off facts. It was a fact that Sasuke scored the highest marks in class, it was a fact that almost every girl in their class were head over heels for him. He was perfect, and that was a fact. Sakura would win him, that she assured herself, would become a reality. She convinced herself it was love, just like every other lovesick girl in the village, but Sakura was not a normal girl, she was the smartest 12 year old in the whole damn village. It was a proven fact, and Sakura knew how to play ball, she knew how to fake it, she knew every fact, figure and theory that would claw her way to success, and she wouldn't even break a nail.

With honey and charm, she slinked her way across the room, fully aware that she was next to perfect, but next to was never good enough.

"Sasuke-kun, can I sit here please?"

He gave her glance, making her shiver and heartbeat drum faster.

"Hn."

She thanked him softly, taking his grunt like noise as a yes. She was next to the epitome of perfection, and she congratulated herself with that, the flush of pink prettily staining her cheeks.

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Sighing, she stretched and yawned. It was a new day, new opportunities to further herself, to climb another step to her ultimate goal. She threw the blankets from her body, taking a look at herself in the mirror. She told herself that she was beautiful, she was slim, beautifully so, skinny, but with curves. She smiled at herself, softly, shyly, then mock laughing. Yes, it was good. Slipping her signature dress over her head, she fixed her hair, changing the cute and messy sex hair into something that she was sure to make Sasuke's coldness gradually wear away. Silky and smooth, shiny and glossy, the same colour of the cherry blossoms in spring.She gave a contented sigh, telling herself, that today she could be proud of what she was.

"Sakura, you need to leave soon."

Her brow creased, the sound of her mother's voice was the last thing she wanted to hear on this beautiful morning, especially not with that tone either, the firm but gentle tone, like she was a juvenile infant.

"Yes mum." She said it sweetly, the tone that her mother would then praise herself for raising such lovely daughter. Then she uttered a quiet string of congratulations for herself and curses at her mother, she wasn't a baby anymore, she wasn't just her mummy's or daddy's little girl. She was Sakura, and she would stand by herself, strong and defiant of anything that tried to prove her wrong. She would become the best.

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Watching her feet take tentative steps forwards at a rhythmic pace, she smiled softly, giggling as her feet swiftly dodged the leaves that scurried past. Today she had brought Sasuke-san lunch, onigiri and tomato, made the way she knew he liked. An appreciation gift for they deal they had agreed on a week ago.

He would let her sit next to him, because she was quiet, and fancied another boy besides him, and she would be closer to her sun, the bright and cheerful person that she'd always seen herself with ten years ahead. It was each step, each tentative step up a stairway to build her confidence, expand her love for him, exceed in shinobi skill. This was her goal, and she quietly encouraged herself that maybe in ten years, all her hard work would pay off, she would be the strong heiress her father always urged her to be, she'd be the supportive sister and cousin, the wife and lover of her blue-eyed sun and a strong shinobi, holding the two bento boxes tightly to her chest, she sighed wistfully, step by step Hina-chan, today comes first.

She was one of the early comers, usually second to arrive in class, Sasuke-san was always first. She liked it that way though, it was easier to talk to him when there weren't other girls around, they would glare and whisper, and she was sure that they weren't friendly things they said behind cupped hands.

"G-good morning, S-Sasuke-san." He looked at her, eyes not quite focused on her. She sighed, he was always like that, so distant, mind occupied with other things.

"I m-made lunch f-for you, t-to say t-thank you for letting m-me sit next to you last w-week."

She bowed, slipping the first bento box in front of him, he nodded, still far away, and she understood. It was normal for him to be that way, after everything that happened... She just hoped he didn't get too sad about it. She turned to leave, only to be stopped by the tugging of her parka sleeve.

"We'll talk at lunch, met me in the spare room."

She nodded, and he went back to wherever he had been, lost in his own thoughts, memories.

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Sakura scowled, Ino could be so immature sometimes, but she'd play her game, and win too.

"WIN!!" Yelled Ino, announcing her arrival to the steadily filling classroom, Sakura had screamed it out just as loud, if not louder and Sasuke used skill not to winch at the piercing caterwauls of those two banshee women. The two banshee's puffed for breathe, each determined to sprint faster and arrive sooner than the other, to win every single game they ever competed in, just like it was for Sasuke's attention.

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Hinata watched her fingers entwine, the thumbs twiddle and her forefingers press against each other. Just waiting until the one she admired entered the room. It wasn't hard to tell though, he had a voice that was easy to pick out from the crowd, she smiled at this thought.

"GOOD MORNING EVERYONE!" she blushed at the greeting, as if he was talking to her and her alone. There were a few mutters, someone with a lazy voice asking him why he was here, that it was for ninjas who passed. She felt inspired, Naruto-kun… Her Naruto-kun to do anything, he could make it through any obstacle ever thrown at him and that's what she wanted to be. He sat as usual, near his brooding best friend.

"WIN!!" That must've been Sakura and Ino… The rest of the argument dulled and she focused it out, more interested in sneaking glances at the blonde who sat a row down and two seats away. A frown flickered across her face when she saw him get knocked down by Sakura, and for a moment she felt envy that Naruto could like such a brash and brutal person like Sakura.

"I was here first so I get to sit next to Sasuke!" There were shouts from all the other girls in class, all claiming that they'd arrived first, and Hinata bowed her head, her shoulders sagging. If that was the case then really she should've had the rightful claim to sit next to her dark friend, almost everyday infact, but she stayed quiet, even feeling the flicker when Sasuke shot a glance at her, wondering if she would raise her voice or not. She decided not to.

There was a curious silence and then the whole class exploded in noise, she turned just in time to see Naruto breaking a kiss with Sasuke. Sakura cracked her knuckles and Hinata frowned, turning away to block her ears, knowing she was likely to lose her breakfast if she had to listen to the sound Sakura's knuckles on soft fleshy cheek. It happened almost everyday… and each and every time Hinata wanted to block Sakura's tenketsu, and paralyse her for half a day, so that Naruto wouldn't have to sustain the brutal beating, and she told herself, one day she would be strong enough to stand up against Sakura, and stand up for Naruto as well. Today was not that day, but some day she would. Day by day, step by step, and one day it all would all add up.

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A/N I know I've been underground for ages, but I've been working on this one and I've decided the chapters will be roughly 2,000 words each. This stories been delayed for quite a while because there was a massive glitch, and usually when that happens, I run around in circles for a few weeks in panic, and then become clear headed enough to figure out a de glitch. Well it's here now! And you readers can just shout out some appropriate update times, be reasonable! Also, in the next few chapters, there'll be a lot of focus on team 8 and Hinata's relationship with Sasuke. Bye for now!

p.s You can probably tell I'm not a fan of Sakura...