Summary: The first time Orochimaru invades, it's completely unexpected. Caught off guard, thirteen year old Sakura and her friends must fight for their lives against their toughest foe. AU. MultiSaku. Sakura centric. SakuraHarem. Takes place in "Gifted" universe.

Pairings: SakuraxNaruto, SakuraxSasuke, SakuraxSai, SakuraxGaara, SakuraxTobi, SakuraxMadara, KakashixSakura, KibaxSakura, ChojixSakura, SuigetsuxSakura, JugoxSakura, ShisuixSakura, KotetsuxSakura, IzumoxSakura, GenmaxSakura, YamatoxSakura, JiraiyaxTsunade, OrochimaruxTsunade

Genre: Friendship/Action/Adventure/Romance/Angst

Warnings: violence, cursing, general teen angst

Notes: Since "the gifted and i" picked up after an eight year time gap, I decided it would be best to fill you wonderful people in on the major events. One of them is Orochimaru's first invasion; the other is Akatsuki's defection. I think that you, as my amazing readers, deserve to know how exactly they happened since they get referred to rather often in "the gifted and i." Without further ado, I present to you, "My Head is an Animal."

Age: 13

Date: October 21

Of Monsters and Men
"my head is an animal"
-1-

"dirty paws"
~but it came back with a story to say~

Sakura perked up, shouldering her bag firmly. She watched silently as Kotetsu and Izumo doled out the seating arrangements among the students. They groaned collectively, but knew better than to argue. Everyone in eighth grade, including Sakura herself, was going on a weekend-long survival test. It was used quite commonly at the Academy to determine if a student was ready to move on to the next level of training that ninth grade would present. Everyone had been talking about it for the past week or so, but Sakura still didn't really know what the test was. Sakura rubbed her fingers nervously, anxious to get the test over with.

"Hey Sak!" Kiba called, throwing an arm around her shoulder and disrupting her thoughts. Akamaru barked as he ran excited circles around the Gifted girl. "We're supposed to sit together on this trip!"

"I'm glad," she replied with a small but genuine smile. She reached down, petting Akamaru's ears.

Kiba blushed, fidgeting for a moment before propelling her forward with a nudge. "Well?" he muttered when she gave him a quizzical look. "We haven't got all day!"

Sakura grinned a bit reproachfully, adjusted her bag and made her way unscathed through the jostling elbows and hard shoves of their rowdy classmates. Akamaru followed at her heels, panting happily. Kiba was not as fortunate. He cursed as he fell into the seat beside her. "They'll get what's coming to them," he muttered darkly, crossing his arms petulantly.

"What do you mean?" Sakura inquired, feeling rather foolish when Kiba looked up incredulously.

"You do know why we're on this trip don't you?"

Sakura's face heated. "Honestly, not really. No one's really explained it to me. All I know is it's some sort of test to determine our level next year."

Choji, who had only just plopped down in the seat beside Kiba, piped up, "There's nothing wrong with not knowing Sakura." He gave Kiba a reproachful look. "The only reason we really know is because we grew up in Gifted society with the horror stories of the people who passed the test."

Sakura smiled, feeling a bit better. "So what sort of test is it?"

Kiba and Choji exchanged glances, shuddering. The tales that they'd grown up with were plain brutal. In the past, students had died in the exams, though the Council and the Headmistress had been making efforts to lessen the bloodshed. Still, no one emerged unscathed from the conflict. Details about the test weren't allowed to be shared, but former students were allowed to share their personal gory stories about their survival. And gory they were. Both boys still sometimes had nightmares from some of the more…descriptive accounts.

"Well," Choji began tentatively. "Each student is assigned to a team. The teams are supposed to retrieve an item of some sort, but I'm kind of fuzzy on the details. I know you're supposed to steal the items from other teams though."

Kiba picked up where Choji left off. "Yeah, and the thing is, you can be captured by another team and join in their efforts to retrieve the items or whatever. I'm not sure if you receive credit at the end or not though…"

"Oh," Sakura replied, head spinning with all of the new information. She couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive for the upcoming events, especially now that she knew that she was so ill-prepared. Sakura hated surprises and this trip seemed to be a rather large, haphazard one.

"Don't worry Sakura!" Choji exclaimed, trying to rouse her rather low spirits. "You'll do well, I know it."

"Yeah!" Kiba chimed in. "After all, what's the worst that can happen?"

Famous last words.

"king and lionheart"
~pass the wondering eyes of the ones that were left behind~

Sakura glanced around anxiously, rubbing her arms in a soothing manner. The bus ride had taken the small group of students up into the mountains of northeast Georgia. They'd left the paved road over an hour ago, leaving the group stranded in a very secluded area. Sakura worried her lip, more than a bit apprehensive about the upcoming trial. Kiba and Choji, though helpful, had not given her any information about the difficulty and brutality of the tests which worried her greatly. She inhaled sharply through her nose, refusing to allow her hear to overpower her.

Sakura watched, rather subdued as the older students who had come on the trip as chaperones formed a huddle, talking amongst themselves quietly. She smiled as she caught sight of Madara's distinctive hair, feeling a bit mollified at having such a strong friend nearby. He'd chosen to leave the persona of Tobi behind for this trip or so he had told her. She didn't need to worry. The test would run smoothly, despite what her gut kept telling her.

"Come along now," Kotetsu called to her, trying to gather all of the rambunctious eighth graders together to have a nice talk about the upcoming events. To be honest, he was kind of regretting choosing to join on the venture, despite the enjoyment he got from getting out of the Academy unsupervised for a full weekend. Still, he couldn't help but feel some pity for the eighth graders. They were in for a hell of an adventure. He watched as the kids gathered together, shifting about anxiously and practically overflowing with nervous energy. "Listen up brats!" he called as they sat down. "We've got a few rules and parameters that we expect ya'll to abide by!"

"First off, we assign the teams, no complaints," Izumo quickly added. "You lot don't have a choice in the matter. The teams are as follows: Team Red consists of Kiba, Shikamaru and Jugo, Team Orange consists of Sakura, Suigetsu and Sai, Team Yellow is comprised of Choji, Sasuke and Naruto, Team Green is Shino, Gaara and Haku, and lastly, Team Blue consists of Ukon, Kidomaru and Jirobo. Any questions?" Without waiting for an answer, the man plowed on. "Good. Now, I'm sure a few of you have an idea of what's going to happen here but some of you don't. So, Kotetsu and I will explain."

Kotetsu took over. "Alright, first off: no killing." Sakura shivered. "This should be obvious but you'd be surprised how many times this has been a problem. If you kill one of you peers, you will be punished very severely by the Headmistress herself." Everyone shuddered. "Now, on to the actual parameters of the test. Each team will be given two bells of their color. Your goal is take at least two bells of different colors while holding on to your own. Simple right?"

Izumo cut in. "You can also capture members from other teams." He held up a band. "Each team member will be given one of these. If you can get around the wrist of an opposing team member then they join your team for the duration of the game. You can only be captured twice before you stay on that team so be careful. Each team is limited to four members at a time so choose your captures carefully. Any questions?" The group of eighth graders looked at him with wide eyes, slowly shaking their heads as they tried to wrap their minds around the rules. "Great! Now, you have to fill out release forms just in case you do happen to be injured during this event."

The eighth graders milled about as they read over the release forms, struggling through the difficult legal lingo. Sakura made her way to her teammates for the weekend, who were seated near one of the trees on the outskirts of the clearing.

"Nervous princess?" Suigetsu questioned with a toothy grin.

"A bit," Sakura replied honestly, rubbing at her arms.

"You will do well, Best Friend," Sai stated in his matter-of-fact way that Sakura couldn't help but believe.

"Thanks," she said, blushing slightly at the compliment. She still had a very hard time accepting the compliments of others.

"What's the plan?" Suigetsu asked, crossing his arms. "I suggest that we separate the bells out. You know, just in case someone gets lucky and takes one of us down."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Who should carry the bells?"

Sai and Suigetsu exchanged measured glances. "Us," they said in unison. Sakura scowled; of course they were going to try to protect her from the "big, bad world."

"Hey now princess!" Suigetsu exclaimed, catching sight of her withering look. "Ya know as well as I do that there will be quite a couple of teams gunning for ya. Not to take ya out or nothing, but to add ya to their team! Take it as a compliment, princess. Ya just got a lot of friends."

Sakura relaxed, a bit placated. "Alright, I guess that makes sense." Her teammates sighed in obvious relief. "Still, we need to determine our targets. We're going for stealthy right?" Sai and Suigetsu nodded. "Then I suggest Team Red and Team Blue; our skills are best suited to taking them out without calling attention to ourselves." The boys nodded their assent. "Now, I think we should do our best to avoid Team Yellow because Sasuke and Naruto are both well-versed in hand-to-hand combat while we on the other hand want to avoid detection as much as possible. Team Green should be avoided at all costs because of Gaara." Both boys shuddered. Yeah, definitely staying away from the ginger. She rounded on Suigetsu. "We're being stealthy."

"Yeah, yeah I got the memo, princess," he griped, raising his hands in surrender. "Let's go sign the paperwork," he muttered, dragging Sai along with him.

Sakura watched them go, an apprehensive look on her face. She did not have a good vibe about this trip. Then again, she didn't much condone violence, which was why she focused more on training her Gift of Healing as opposed to her Gift of Power. She was on inactive rotation for a real reason, despite what her friends liked to believe. She didn't want to hurt anyone in this survival of the fittest test. Still…if anyone were to hurt her teammates, they had to be prepared for the consequences. Her fists clenched and her eyes flashed darkly.

If anyone injures them, she promised herself, looking down at her glowing fists, there will be hell to pay.

"mountain sound"
~through the woods we ran~

Sakura weaved in and out of the trees, keeping an eye out for Suigetsu and Sai. Suigetsu ran to the left of her while Sai rode one of his ink birds through the sky directly above her. They'd decided as a group to comb out the forest and actively take on a team, rather than lying in wait. All of their Gifts were better suited for offensive maneuvers rather than defensive. Suigetsu was a bit put out that he wasn't allowed to carry his sword with him, but he'd been handling himself rather well thus far. Suddenly, Sai swooped down out of the sky, destroying his bird with a flick of his wrist and landing in front of Sakura.

"Blue Team is up ahead. They're currently working on setting traps around the perimeter of the clearing that they've staked out. They aren't paying much attention," Sai stated blandly.

Sakura and Suigetsu exchanged conniving grins. "Well then," Sakura said. "I guess they're about to learn that they really should pay closer attention to their surroundings."

The team quickly climbed up into nearby trees, beginning the process of leaping silently from one to another. Sakura felt anticipation swell within her, the adrenaline making her slightly dizzy and delirious. She greeted the thrill that zipped through her at the possibility of a hunt with open arms. She knew she was ready for this.

Stealthily, the three members made a triangle encircling Team Blue's perimeter without actually encroaching upon it. Sakura, the closest to Team Blue's location, held still, listening closely. She could make out the sound of an argument and she strained to hear the actual words being said.

"Come on you overgrown pansy! This isn't so hard to do! How can you be such a simpleton?" that would be Ukon, Sakura decided. She and he were in the same science class and he always made sure to answer Kabuto's questions before she herself had the chance. They certainly didn't get along very well and she couldn't help but feel bad for Jirobo, who she intuited was the subject of the sly boy's derogatory comments.

"Aw, leave off Ukon! No need to be a dick about it!" this, Sakura assumed was Kidomaru, who she knew very little about.

She made eye contact with Sai, who nodded in understanding. He quickly and quietly drew up one of his fascinating ink creatures. Immediately, the small ink bird of prey flew out of the trees and down into the Team Blue territory. Thankfully, as they'd figured out earlier on in their Academy careers, Sai's inanimate ink animals could invade the barriers that they'd learned to set up without setting off any alarms. Thus, only a few minutes later, the falcon dropped the bell wrapped in a blue ribbon into Sai's outstretched hand. Team Orange exchanged large grins as they deftly moved away from the unknowing, arguing Team Blue.

"Who'd you take the bell from Sai?" Suigetsu questioned as they came together, sitting down in a nearby trees.

"I got it off of the loud one," he replied, with a satisfied and rather vindictive look in his eye. Sakura grinned; obviously, Sai hadn't taken too well to Ukon's insults either.

"Nicely done," she said, running a hand over the blue bell with a smile before pocketing it. One down and one to go. Thus far, the mission had been a piece of cake. They just needed to survive the weekend without any sort of mishaps.

Of course, the moment she dared to think it, Murphy's Law chose to screw her over. A branch crunched. The trio whipped around, fortifying themselves for whatever attacked them. They stood tensely for a few moments in silence, prepared for the worst. When nothing happened, they finally relaxed their guards.

"Hell yeah!" came a familiar, rather obnoxious, battle cry.

Sakura looked up to catch sight of Naruto descending upon her rapidly. With a yelp of surprise, Sakura ducked and rolled, avoiding a kick to the head. She jumped up, furious and raring for a fight. "What the hell Naruto?!" she exclaimed, gesticulating wildly. "You could have killed me."

"Oh," he replied sheepishly. "I knew you'd get out of the way. You're super-fast!"

"Get on with it Naruto!" Sasuke called out from where he was fending off Suigetsu and Sai.

"Shut up bastard!" he yelled back, turning to face his teammate. While he was distracted, Sakura began to charge her hands with her Gift, rushing at the oblivious boy. "Talk about unfair!" he said, avoiding the sweep of her arm. "You're way too super strong!"

"Deal with it!" Sakura shouted back, adrenaline rushing through her veins, preparing her for the fight ahead. Her hands glowed green as she punched at the swerving and diving boy. "Hold still!" she growled, knowing that one good swipe would keep him down for a while.

Naruto exhaled noisily, doing his best to avoid the veritable powerhouse that Sakura was. She might be tiny but one punch would take him down. Team Yellow had already lost Choji to Shikamaru's team; they needed another member to survive this mission without losing their bells. Hopefully, that member would be Sakura. With her brawn and brain combined with his and Sasuke's skills, they'd be unstoppable. First though, he had to capture her.

Sakura watched intently as a red glow lit up around Naruto, knowing what was coming next. She braced herself against the tree trunk, flipping over Naruto and trying to get out of his path before he reverted completely to Kyuubi mode. To her surprise, a hand grabbed her, halting her flight and pulling her to the ground. She stared up into Naruto's face incredulously, unable to believe that she'd been completely duped. He'd used a doppelganger of all things to trick her! It was a typical move made by Naruto. She couldn't believe that she'd allowed herself to be so distracted by Naruto's entrance into Kyuubi mode to see the trap. He wasn't even that great at strategizing!

"Hey Sasuke!" he shouted, still firmly seated on top of Sakura. "I got her!"

Sasuke grunted, looking up to see the yellow band firmly attached around Sakura's wrist.

With a substitution maneuver, the trio was gone.

Suigetsu whistled lowly. "Damn. They were quick and they caught princess!"

While Suigetsu cussed out Naruto and Sasuke, Sai realized something. "Sakura had the bell."

"Well shit."

"slow and steady"
~and it holds me and it never lets me go~

Sakura frowned deeply, absently rubbing the yellow band tied around her wrist. No matter how much she glared, it was unfortunately still there. She honestly could not believe that Naruto had gotten the jump on her. Naruto of all people! While the boy was a veritable powerhouse, he was the least stealthy of her classmates. A wave of shame washed over her. She had been incredibly careless. This was why she wasn't cut out for active rotation as she'd constantly tried to tell her friends.

"Sakura!" Naruto whined, upset at her silence. He knew full well that the girl had a tendency to overanalyze her failures and he couldn't help but feel at fault for her current mood. His nose twitched at the scent of her distress; Kyuubi heightened his senses. He wanted Sakura to always be happy and smiling and her quiet distress was making him miserable and irritable.

"Tch," Sasuke snorted, disturbing Naruto's thoughts.

"You want to go bastard?" Naruto asked, raring for a fight.

"Hn," Sasuke condescended, watching the doleful Sakura out of the corner of his eye. He'd noticed her fall into a depressed sort of state, but being the arrogant, proud Uchiha that he was, Sasuke was way too awkward to even attempt to console her.

Naruto bared his fangs ready to tussle, before he heard a slight snicker. With a sly smile, Naruto turned to look at their new companion. Sakura was covering her mouth, trying her best to stifle her laughter. She honestly couldn't help it. Still, it amused and amazed her that in the middle of their first real training exercise, the one that determined if they continued in the Academy's program or stayed back another year for remedial classes, Sasuke and Naruto were more than willing to start brawling. Only them, she thought with a wry shake of her head.

"Be serious," Sakura gently chided the two boys, not that either of them was in a fighting mood any longer.

"So…" Naruto began. "Do ya have any bells on ya?"

Sakura grinned, pulling the blue bell out of her pocket. "We got this one off of Team Blue. Did you get a bell from Team Orange?"

"Yeah," Sasuke replied, lifting up a bell tied with an orange ribbon. "Snatched it off Suigetsu. He'll be pissed when he finds out."

Naruto snorted. "Understatement of the year."

Sakura winced in sympathy, knowing that Sai was getting an earful right now. "Well, we got all the bells we need so what now?"

"I say we go after more bells!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Um…how about not?" Sakura replied. "The more we fight, the more likely it is for us to lose the bells we already have." Naruto deflated slightly and pouted at Sakura. "Besides, we'd be costing our friends a chance to move on in the Gifted program."

"You're right," Naruto murmured. "What do we do now?"

The duo turned to Sasuke. He'd always been their tactician. "We're going to hunker down in a secure area for the remainder of the test. We're going to do our best to avoid detection from others." He stared at Naruto intently. "Got it?"

Sasuke smirked slightly, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Let's go Dumbass, Sakura."

The two followed behind Sasuke, keeping their eyes on the trees around them. Suddenly, Sakura stopped. The wildlife in the forest, which had been a constant background noise, was completely silent. Sakura turned to Sasuke, who was watching her with wide eyes. He'd noticed too. A twig snapped in the distance.

The three whirled around, ready to face whatever was coming their way.

"from finner"
~and we caught your eye~

Kakashi looked up at the sky, surprised to feel such a strong hum thrum through his body. He could scarcely believe that any of these eighth graders had such a strong Gift. In fact…he turned to make eye contact with Madara, who was bristling. Gifted individuals who were strong could feel other people's Gifts when they were utilized. Some individuals, called sensors, had the ability to sense Gifts even when they were inactive. Even more useful, sensors could tell Gifts apart and determine who they belong to and what exactly their Gifts were capable of.

"What is that?" Kakashi murmured to himself.

The kids were being tested to determine who among them would be considered S-ranked for the entirety of their high school curriculum. The Council had decided after the interesting case with the Sannin that Gifted children could not be tested for S-rank until after they'd finished their middle school curriculum. That way, at least, they had a more stable way to make their decision, rather than allowing another clusterfuck like the Sannin to pass them by. It regulated the training of the students as well.

Kakashi's eye narrowed. Though there were certainly many strong competitors among this year's batch of students, none could release such a stifling power. The unknown Gift felt malevolent, as though it sought to crush anything and everything in its path.

"That is not a student," Itachi stated blandly, voicing the thought flitting through everyone's mind. Though appearing tranquil to those who didn't know him, Kakashi could see the way that Itachi's eyes and lips had tightened. He was furious. Kakashi didn't blame him. He himself could feel his Sharingan eye blaze angrily. If a single one of his students had been harmed…

Kotetsu rushed into the clearing, pale as death. "There's been a security breach. Someone has broken through all of our barriers!" He blanched, remembering the chill he'd felt as the barriers fell apart. "This test has been severely compromised."

"What are we waiting for?" Shisui cried. "Izumo, Kotetsu, take a group and secure the perimeters of our area. We do not want anyone else to get in here." Though one of the youngest, Shisui was a natural-born leader. "Kakashi, Madara, Itachi and I will approach the foreign Gift. Izuna, we'll need you to be ready to provide medical attention. Is that understood?"

Everyone nodded, rushing to follow their orders. Kakashi quickly prepped himself for what promised to be an interesting battle before joining the other Uchihas in their silent approach on the foreign Gift. All were consumed by some level of fear, knowing that absolutely none of the students were prepared for what they might have to deal with. Izuna truly did not want to even imagine the harm that might be inflicted on the students before they arrived.

Madara, jumping from tree to tree, removed his mask, allowing his Sharingan to blaze with a deep crimson color. "There will be hell to pay."

"little talks"
~don't listen to a word i say, the screams all sound the same~

Sakura tensed as Ukon, Kidomaru and Jirobo emerged from the darkness. Dusk was falling, extending and distorting the shadows around Team Orange. They were watching the trio with solemn, strange expressions, almost…bloodthirsty.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked, tensing as his eyes roamed the approaching foes.

"Ya'll have something we need," Kidomaru replied, grin spreading across his face.

"The bells," Sakura hissed to her teammates. They both nodded.

"Ya dumbasses!" Naruto yelled, readying an attack. "Ya don't stand a chance against us!" Team Blue exchanged amused glances, Ukon outright laughing. Naruto bristled. "Whatcha talking about idiots? We'll give ya one chance to back out right now. After that, nothing will hold us back!"

"Good," Ukon replied with a large smirk.

During this exchange, Sakura and Sasuke were swapping hurried words as they tried to plan for the fight that was brewing. "What do we really want to do?" Sakura asked, eyes growing worried as Naruto traded barbed insults with the smug Team Blue. "Just escape? They seem really confident about something…"

Sasuke nodded. It was well known through the Academy that Sasuke and Sakura were both a few of the powerhouses in their year. Naruto was a wild card, often coming out on top of insurmountable odds. It was odd that a team like Team Blue, consisting of mainly low B- and C-ranked members would try to engage them so boldly. Maybe if they'd attempted some sort of subterfuge, Team Blue could have beaten them, but even then it was unlikely. Sasuke did not like the confidence that filled what was generally a sub-par team. He felt more than a bit wary. He positioned himself slightly in front of Sakura as Naruto rushed to engage Team Blue headlong.

Suddenly, a stifling feeling filled the air, forcing Team Yellow to their knees. "What is that?" Sakura asked, clutching her spinning head.

Team Blue laughed maliciously. "Of course you wouldn't know!" Ukon bragged, sauntering up to Team Yellow. "It's called KI, Killing Intent. Obviously, the Academy is behind if it doesn't even teach you B- and A-rankers that!" The boy began to laugh, watching as the three adolescents struggled against their paralysis. "Don't even bother," he crowed. "There's absolutely no way you can get free!"

Sasuke was inwardly panicking, unsure how this confrontation had escalated to this point. They had to keep the other team talking. "Sounds like you've got a vendetta," he grunted, doing his best to free himself.

Sakura, catching on, said, "Yeah, why do you guys hate us so much? It doesn't make much sense honestly."

Ukon began to laugh hysterically, approaching the helpless girl. "'Why?' you ask? Why? Do you know how it feels to be ranked low? How it feels to be discriminated against because the teachers cannot comprehend your abilities? How about when the teachers watch you with pity in sidelong glances because they believe that you're only good to be cannon fodder because the Council says so? Can you understand feeling absolutely worthless? Watching hopelessly as those around you easily ascend the ranks because of the prestige behind their name, though they lack in skill?" Ukon gripped her arm painfully, yanking her upright as his KI increased. "You're a fool to believe that the Academy cares about you. They want to use you as a…as a breeding tool! There are other options though," he began, eyes glazing over dreamily.

"You're insane!" Sakura hissed.

"Am I?" the boy asked, pulling her up further to look Sakura in the eyes. Her feet dragged the ground, dead weight. "You know, he offered me power. He showed me what it means to be strong, to be useful. For once in my life, I am needed. It is my glorious purpose to serve his needs."

Sakura grit her teeth against the pain as he further tightened his grip on her arms. There would definitely be bone-deep bruises there. "Who are you referring to?"

Ukon ignored her question, engrossed in his far-off fantasies. "You know, he could make you stronger too. If you'd ask him to, I'm sure he could help you." He bent to whisper in her ear, "You fear for your friends. He could give you power beyond your wildest dreams. You'd never have to worry about your friends again." His lips brushed the shell of her ear, as he sniffed her hair. "You would be strong."

"Get away from Sakura!" Naruto growled, eyes deepening to a demonic red. No one threatened his best friend! He began to glow red, tails fanning out behind him. Team Blue's KI no longer meant anything as Naruto got to his feet, growling fiercely.

Sasuke, not to be outdone by the idiot, engaged his Sharingan and, with a herculean effort, disengaged from the KI as well. Sakura smirked, things were looking up.

"What do we have here?" an unfamiliar voice purred.

Or maybe not.

"six weeks"
~we fall to the ground~

Team Yellow tensed, turning to engage the new, unknown threat. He didn't look too threatening. The man was incredibly pale and lithe, almost feminine in his body shape. He wore his hair long and silky, with a strange purple pattern imprinted around his eyes. The man was dressed in a nondescript suit embroidered with plum colored thread. Sakura noted that he was certainly interested in keeping up appearances.

"Orochimaru," Sasuke hissed, Sharingan-bright eyes narrowed.

"The AWOL science teacher?" Sakura exclaimed incredulously. She'd never met him personally, but he had certainly left his mark on the Academy. The student body had been divided between loving and despising him, at least, until he'd disappeared without explanation. There had been many rumors going around, but the Council and the teachers had been keeping the event quiet. Kabuto was now in charge of the science department.

Sasuke nodded curtly. There had always been a heavy tension between the Uchiha clan and Orochimaru, especially Itachi. He'd been much too interested in their techniques for his own good. He'd constantly overstepped his bounds, especially considering the fact that he came from a clan-less, unGifted family. Sasuke despised the man.

"Lord Orochimaru," Team Blue said in unison, falling on their knees in reverence before the man.

Sakura frowned, moving away from the deferential team. She wasn't sure how to respond to the new direction that this battle was heading. She felt completely off-balanced.

"Leave us," Orochimaru announced imperiously to his followers.

"But sir," Ukon began.

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed to slits as the atmosphere immediately thickened to a claustrophobic level. "Do not question me," he stated calmly.

"O-of course my lord," Ukon stuttered before scampering away with his team.

Team Yellow slowly huddled together, feeling more than a little bit intimidated. Orochimaru was renowned among the Gifted circles as one of the Big Three, a group that consisted of Orochimaru, Tsunade and Jiraiya, who had revolutionized the Gifted world. They had elevated the prowess of Gifted individuals.

"Well, well, well," Orochimaru murmured, circling the trio with small controlled steps. "What have we here?" He stopped in front of Sasuke. "An Uchiha." He turned to a bristling Naruto. "The Kyuubi container." His eyes fell on Sakura, automatically paralyzing her. "And…" he paused, staring at her intently. "The only Gifted female since Tsunade. What an…interesting combination."

Naruto hissed, "Stay away from Sakura!"

Orochimaru tsked, watching Naruto with mild disgust. "I wasn't addressing you kit. Besides, she isn't the one I'm interested in." His eyes brightened as they landed on Sasuke. "The youngest living Uchiha. How does it feel to be an heir of a dying clan?" Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. "Oh?" Orochimaru laughed. "You didn't know? That's rich. Your own clan hides its pathetic truth from you. And why? To protect you? But enough of that, I'm here for another reason." His eyes glittered. "Sasuke, you-"

"Who the fuck cares?" Naruto exclaimed, more tails forming behind him. "You're going down!"

The boy charged Orochimaru on all fours, four tails waving behind him. Sakura watched, waiting for the inevitable smack down that Orochimaru would receive. To her utmost surprise, Orochimaru merely grabbed the boy, halting him mid-stride. He lifted Naruto's shirt, displaying a complex seal that surrounded his stomach. He bit his fingers, pressing his bloody fingers to the boy's seal, knocking him out cold. He threw him carelessly against a tree. Naruto slid to the ground with a sickening thud.

"Why would you do that?" Sakura demanded.

"He interrupted me," Orochimaru replied casually, but Sakura had long since realized that he was not to be crossed. "Now, back to our conversation. Sasuke, I am here to offer you…an opportunity. You've been constantly overshadowed by your older relatives." Sasuke glared. "Don't scowl, Uchiha, you know it's true. It isn't your fault though. They have other resources to gain powers that you can't even dream of. You, on the other hand, are constantly ignored and overlooked. Your potential will never be realized unless you step out of your legacy's shadow. I'm here to give you that chance. Come with me and you'll be able to make a name for yourself. You will go down in history as the Uchiha who revolutionized the Gifted world."

"Sasuke don't!" Sakura hissed into the boy's ear after seeing him turn off his Sharingan. He was watching Orochimaru with wary interest, raising the hairs on the back of Sakura's neck. She could see his hesitation; his confliction. She'd never realized that Sasuke felt this way about his family, overshadowed by his clan and the stretch of their legacy. She laid her hand over his, squeezing it. "You make your own name; not your family and we'll be beside you every step of the way."

They stared at each other for a long moment, interrupted only when a slow clap echoed through the clearing. "How emotional," Orochimaru drawled. "Don't think I forgot about you, princess. Oh no, you are an important piece of this puzzle. You certainly don't fit the Academy's usual mold. You can't even imagine how they plan on using and manipulating you. So naïve! You're nothing but a tool for them, raised to kill and breed. You're nothing more than an animal in the Council's eyes!"

Sakura balled her fists, her Gift of Power lighting them with an ephemeral green glow. "Shut up! You know nothing about me!" she screamed. Looking to Sasuke, she nodded once, watching with apprehension as his eyes started spinning with the Sharingan. "You're going down," she stated confidently, anger making her bold.

Sakura and Sasuke split up from each other, running at Orochimaru from the sides. Orochimaru, instead of guarding himself, began to laugh, freely and openly. "How adorable," he claimed. "But…" he paused, releasing a sigh. "Still child's play." And with that, he unleashed his KI.

Sakura and Sasuke instantly froze. There was absolutely nothing in Sakura's mind at all, just pure, unadulterated terror. Her muscles spasmed, unable to be released. She'd never felt fear manipulated in such a way, Ukon's KI had not even nearly matched this. She didn't, couldn't, think. Her eyes were unable to focus, everything was a blur. Orochimaru was talking, but she couldn't hear him over the buzzing in her ears. Sakura, for the very first time in the world, did not know what to do. Despair curled through her, potent and overwhelming. She was useless.

"love love love"
~maybe i'm a bad, bad, bad, bad person~

Itachi scowled darkly, surveying the scene before him. Sasuke and Sakura stood in the middle of a clearing, unable to move as they were slowly circled by Orochimaru. Naruto was against a tree, completely unconscious. Orochimaru's KI filled the area, suffocating in its dark power. His hands tightened into fists as he watched the two eighth graders struggle against Orochimaru's oppressive power, but to no avail. Madara released a bestial scream of rage, moving to engage Orochimaru and blowing their cover. Not that Itachi blamed him.

"And so the Uchiha cavalry arrives," Orochimaru murmured. "About time."

"Shut your fucking face!" Madara yelled, Sharingan blazing furiously as he shook with a blinding rage.

"Pushed your buttons did I?" Orochimaru's gaze turned speculative. "I wonder why though. You certainly care little for your clan, Madara, is it the girl? I heard lore of Gifted females and their power. I'd seen it asserted with Tsunade but I wonder…"

"Don't you touch her!" Shisui hissed, grabbing the three children and moving them behind the rescue squad.

Orochimaru smiled, releasing snakes to engage his foes. "You care for her, yet you allow her to be surrounded be the most bloodthirsty schemers. Your precious Council seeks to use her in any and every way possible. They care nothing for her, only for what she can give them. They want to raise a new generation, a stronger generation to manipulate even further than what they do now." Orochimaru laughed at their incredulous and furious gazes. "I know all about your S-rank and your missions completed off the books."

"What of what you did?" Kakashi asked bitingly, dodging Orochimaru's snakes and attacking the man himself. "What of the sick experiments you committed against the students at the Academy? Your hands are less clean than the Council's!"

Orochimaru began to laugh, truly and deeply. It was quite unnerving. "Where do you think I learned my trade?" He spread his arms wide, whirling away from an incensed Madara. "Everything I did at the Academy, I learned from the illustrious Council. You believe them to be innocent? Look more closely at your surroundings or ah…as you say Kakashi say so often, 'Look underneath the underneath.' You are blinded by your ideals and they will destroy you." He gazed at the furious Uchihas and the petrified children. "My work here is done." He met Itachi's furious eyes. "Remember my words Uchiha." And with that, he disappeared.

Itachi ignored the angered cry of Madara as he rushed out of the clearing with Shisui, clearly intent on catching his foe. Itachi turned instead to the three eighth graders who were all unconscious at this point. His eyes softened and his Sharingan disengaged automatically.

He would protect them.

Always.

"your bones"
~we set fire to our homes~

When Sakura awakened, she was one of the infirmary beds. She sat up groggily, unsure of how she'd arrived here. All she could remember was Orochimaru releasing his KI…How was she still alive? She looked around, relieved to see Sasuke and Naruto seated nearby.

"Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed, running towards her and throwing himself on her in a hug. His head was wrapped with bandages.

"Naruto!" she squealed in return, hugging him back. "Are you alright?"

"The doctors said he was mildly concussed," Sasuke muttered, striding over and laying his hand over Sakura's.

"Naruto!" Sakura admonished, reaching up to heal his head. "You need to be careful! You could have hurt yourself."

Naruto merely grinned, completely unrepentant.

"What happened out there?" Sakura asked, turning her eyes to Sasuke.

"We lost," he replied dully, eyes glassy and unfocused.

"I guessed as much," Sakura sighed, lying back among her pillows. "What happened with Orochimaru?"

"He was run off by the bastard's older relatives," Naruto muttered. Sakura watched as Sasuke's face tightened. She knew that Orochimaru had gotten to him. He was embarrassed by what he considered to be a weakness. He hated being underestimated and beaten. Their loss in the forest had to have been a major blow to his ego. She feared that he would have taken Orochimaru up on his offer for greatness. Naruto, unfortunately, was oblivious. "What gives bastard? I thought you wanted to be stronger than your brother."

"Naruto," Sakura said warningly, grabbing hold of both boys' hands. "Now isn't the time for a stupid argument. We need to talk about what happened. Orochimaru was targeting you Sasuke." She turned to Naruto. "You missed a lot while you were out. Orochimaru wants Sasuke to join him. He…he's trying to draw Sasuke away from the Academy. He said a lot of things about the Academy and the Council, things that I'm not even sure is true. We were…grossly unprepared for his attack."

Sasuke's Sharingan switched on. "He wiped the floor with us. If Itachi wasn't there…" he trailed off, hands tightening into fists.

"Things need to change," Sakura stated. "We have to be serious about our training. We can't just goof off anymore. Orochimaru's attack proved that the Gift world is changing in major ways. We need to be prepared for whatever comes our way."

Sasuke smirked. "What do you suggest we do?"

Sakura's eyes glinted confidently. "I'm becoming a battler."

"sloom"
~i drew up from a little dream of mine, a little nightmare of yours~

Sakura woke with a start, clutching at her chest. She was back in her own room now, sleeping off her exhaustion before she went to debrief with the Headmistress the following morning. Sakura looked around her room, completely disoriented. She'd been reliving the attack in the forest, only this time, Sasuke had sided with Orochimaru. She'd stood off to the side, helpless and useless as he walked away.

She got out of bed, going over to her sink to wash her face. Sakura needed to go for a walk. She just needed to get out of the situation and take her mind off of the attack. She quickly pulled on a cardigan, going out the door and into the corridor. She started down a well-traveled route, the one she took every time she was restless.

She wandered the Academy, quiet and introspective. Sakura couldn't understand how anyone could believe this school was a bad place. This was where she'd met all of her friends and discovered a sense of confidence. The Academy was her home, why did Orochimaru want to destroy it? She couldn't understand his anger and bitterness about this place. It had always been warm and welcoming to her. She leaned against the cool wall, turning her heated cheek into it. This was her safe haven and she would not let Orochimaru take it from her.

"Sakura?" a voice questioned.

Sakura whirled around, slightly embarrassed. Yamato and Kakashi were standing before her, watching her quizzically. "Haha, hi," she said, scratching her cheek.

"What are you doing up? You shouldn't be roaming the halls," Yamato chastised gently.

"I couldn't sleep," she mumbled in reply. "I…I had a nightmare."

Yamato and Kakashi exchanged unreadable looks before directing their gazes at her again. "Do you want to talk about it?" Kakashi asked quietly; slightly apprehensive.

"That's alright," Sakura replied. "I'm just worried."

"It's understandable," Yamato stated. "It…it does get better." He thought of his own twisted relationship with Orochimaru. He deeply feared the man who had made his life a living nightmare. Orochimaru had become a sort of boogeyman in Yamato's mind, an untouchable god that was always present in some corner of his mind. He'd suffered many nightmares at the hands of the sadist. Yamato definitely understood the girl's pain. "He isn't a god."

Sakura looked up at him then, eyes wide and terrified. He suddenly remembered just how young she was. She was tiny. There were times when he could hardly believe the way that the Academy was training these children up to be soldiers. They were still so young and innocent, so far out of their depth. "I…I know that," she claimed bravely.

"We're always here to talk to you," Yamato said.

"I know," she replied, smiling. Yamato could see how brittle it was though.

"How about we take you by the Headmistress now?" Kakashi said, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"Alright," she said quietly.

"Let's get you something warm to drink first," Yamato stated, leading her down the corridor.

"lakehouse"
~we climbed up to the top in worn out shoes~

Sakura shifted in the plush seat, floundering a bit. She had never seen the Headmistress out of her professional element and seeing her dressed in pajamas with her hair down made Sakura a bit uncomfortable. Tsunade had always been a symbol of power and authority and it was odd to see her acting like any other person.

"So," Tsunade began, looking at Sakura over her hands. "You have some questions?"

Sakura glanced at Jiraiya, who was looking a bit tired and overwrought. He nodded encouragingly. "Yes. Some of the things that Orochimaru said are bothering me. He talked about the Council…" she trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

Tsunade sighed. "Yes, the Council has always been a sore issue with Orochimaru. He wasn't always this way. He used to want to revolutionize the Gifted world. Somewhere along the way, however, his ideals became twisted and he turned his hope to anger and bitterness. Orochimaru dreamed of making life easier for Gifted individuals and he turned to experimentation." Tsunade's face darkened. "He has hurt and ruined the lives of many, Sakura. His claims about the Council are unfounded; you shouldn't take everything he said at face value. He wants to turn you away from the Academy in any way he can."

Sakura nodded, feeling comforted. Orochimaru was a master manipulator; of course he would try to shake her trust in the Academy. Her eyes hardened; she would not be fooled again. "Oh," she said starting in surprise. "I would like to change my Track if that is quite alright."

Tsunade looked surprised. "You no longer wish to pursue the Defense Track?"

Sakura nodded. "I want to join the Offense Track. Our battle with Orochimaru proved to me that I am not using my Gifts to their best advantage. I need to be ready for the next time I'm forced to confront someone."

Jiraiya nodded. "Your Gifts are well suited for the Offense Track; I'll switch your program in the morning." His eyes softened. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, kid. No one's expecting you to be able to hold your own with Orochimaru. Hell, you're only thirteen! It's not your responsibility to take out Orochimaru, you understand me?" Sakura nodded reluctantly. "Good," he said, relaxing back into his chair.

"I'll start training you privately as well," Tsunade said quietly. "What happened during the test…it was unacceptable. We weren't expecting Orochimaru's attack and we paid the cost for it. Ukon, Jirobo and Kidomaru have…defected."

Sakura nodded, not entirely too surprised. "Alright," she replied.

Tsunade softened, looking at the young girl. She'd been through a very rough time and the time ahead wasn't going to be much easier. Sakura was bound to have a hard journey ahead, born in a tumultuous time in the Gifted world as the only living Gifted female aside from Tsunade. Tsunade reached out, placing her hand over Sakura's. "It'll get easier," she said, smiling through her lie.

Sakura watched her steadily before shaking her head. "No it won't. It's okay though; I have really good friends." She smiled slightly, squeezing Tsunade's hand. "Thank you for your time Headmistress, I look forward to our training."

And with that, she left.

"yellow light"
~ignore all those big warning signs~

"Damn," Jiraiya muttered, watching the girl leave.

Tsunade hummed an affirmative, smirking. "She's strong. She'll hold up against all the bastards out there."

Jiraiya nodded, watching Tsunade carefully. They'd known each other for so long that he could read her like a book. "Tsunade," he began, grabbing her hands and making her face him. "We knew that this day would come. The moment that Orochimaru disappeared we knew he'd make his reappearance in a flashy attack. The bastard always had a flare for the dramatic. He certainly managed to fluster most of our S-ranked students. How do you want to handle this situation?"

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temples. She could practically feel the stress lines forming. "Orochimaru…despite his flaws, Orochimaru was one of our best friends. Don't scowl Jiraiya, you know it's true! We grew up together. It's…it's hard. After you, he was my best friend. We did everything together and seeing him now? Well, it makes me feel like a lousy friend. If I'd tried harder…" she trailed off. She and Jiraiya had always known that Orochimaru had walked the line of morality but with this attack…he had officially crossed it.

Jiraiya frowned. "Princess, it's not your job to save him! Orochimaru has always been…different. We knew that! He was twisted from the start. When you didn't choose him, something snapped. It's not your fault and it's not my fault. You never led him on. He put ideals and fantasies on you that you couldn't and shouldn't have to fulfill. He deluded himself and it led him down a road that neither you nor I can follow."

Tsunade sighed, pulling away. "I know. I don't regret my decisions but sometimes I wonder…" She shook herself. "What truly concerns me is the scheming that has been brewing before our very noses. Between the Council and the clans, I can barely keep track."

Jiraiya nodded. "Orochimaru knows about the plans of both groups. He wants to turn this next generation from their homes and disillusion them to the clans and the Council. We know from reports that he is entirely too interested in the eighth grade group. He is specifically targeting them and I fear it is because of Sakura and Sasuke. He wants both of them. While his motives are still unclear, I believe that he plans on using them as breeding tools to cultivate a newer and stronger generation." Jiraiya sneered. "The bastard was always obsessed with immortality."

Tsunade nodded. "Definitely. Things here aren't as great as they should be. The system is hurting many of our less exemplary students and I believe that Orochimaru is plying them with promises of glory that cannot be fulfilled here. Spies have been reporting of what is called 'Curse Stages' that exacerbate the individual's Gift to an unusual degree. The side effects are still unknown but the damage wreaked upon those who opposed the individual in a 'Curse Stage.'" She shivered. "It wasn't pretty. The individual's animalistic impulses are magnified and they become incredibly violent. It does, however, increase the power of the individual's Gift."

Jiraiya snorted. "There are many who believe that no price is too high for power. Is Orochimaru that big of a fool?"

Tsunade had no reply. The accounts that had been given by spies were disturbing. Orochimaru was obviously becoming unhinged if his experimenting had progressed to this degree. Still, the Academy wasn't blameless. The Council and the clans had blood on their hands and many students were shunted to the side to make way for the more powerful ones. The system was destroying the haven that the Academy proclaimed itself to be. Students, no children, were choosing to side with an obsessive megalomaniac because they felt ignored and unwanted. Tsunade's eyes took on a determined gleam.

"Things need to change."

"numb bears"
~while numb bears at home said i could never get there but i'm already there~

Sakura looked up at the sky, contemplating the attack. She didn't understand what was going on and honestly, the Headmistress hadn't been much help either. Sakura didn't know who to trust or believe. Was Orochimaru right? What was the real purpose of the Academy? Her questions went unanswered as she stared out at the twinkling stars.

Life had been so simple at the Academy in the beginning. She'd only been concerned with making friends and discovering herself. Now, things were much different. If Orochimaru was right, the Academy had blood on its hands. She herself would be raised to kill and destroy. Why? Why was there such a need for bloodshed? She gripped her elbows harder over her knees. She didn't understand this world. Why was such a wonderful place like this so corrupted?

Sakura shook her head. No matter what, she wouldn't sink to Orochimaru's level. She refused to use or manipulate people the same way that Orochimaru did. Even if the Academy was evil and in the wrong, Sakura would do everything in her power to protect her friends, even kill if necessary.

Her eyes glinted. This was her home. It didn't matter who she ended up facing; the Academy, the Council, Orochimaru or anyone else.

There would be hell to pay.

So…yeah. Hey guys! It certainly has been a while.

I worked at camp all summer and we didn't have computer access except on the weekends. And now, I'm back at school. So, about "the gifted and i"…I am feeling really uninspired. I have a skeleton set up for it but aside from that…yeah. I will finish it, but it'll take a while. Especially considering that my priorities are with schoolwork right now.

If you guys have any ideas or prompts for the "Gifted" universe I'd love to hear them. I need some inspiration! Also, prompts are open for "march of the gift hunters." I'm more than willing to write up some short drabbles.

Feedback is always appreciated!

-jay