Chapter two
The morning rays shined brightly through a small bedroom, chasing any remaining darkness away into the smallest corners of the room. The rays gently rested over a small single bed, that on the face of a sleeping Sakura. Soon her sleep was disturbed at the light soon made its self known to her of the morning. Rolling over on her other side with her back to the light, Sakura curled up into a tight ball in hopes of returning to the sweet peaceful slumber she was in moments ago. But after a few minutes, the sun's light won over her sleepy mind, forcing her to rise from her bed and start another day as a Genin of team seven.
After finishing showering, dressing, combing her hair, and brushing her teeth, Sakura headed down the stairs and to the kitchen to grab something to eat for breakfast. Grabbing a piece of toast and an apple, Sakura yelled goodbye to her mom and rushed out the door to meet up with her team. Slowing down to a walk from a trot, the pinkette finished her toast and started to eat her apple. She still had a few minutes to kill and didn't need to be at the meeting point until in fifteen minutes. So she decided to take the long way and walk through the village to the bridge.
The village was busy as ever when she walked through one of the main streets of Konoha. Everyone was so lively this morning, with their shops open and displays on the street to those that are passing by them. The merchandise on display were nothing new to Sakura as she had seen it all everyday when she passes through this street. But she still comes here to see if there is anything new on sale that she would be interested to buy.
By the time she finished eating her apple and throwing it away and continued on her way, something strange caught her eye. Far off among the crowd, a flash of red, and I mean red caught her attention from where she stood. It was one of those things that you couldn't ignore really, especially if it didn't belong in a curtain place and stood out of the ordinary, much like her hair. She remembered once that Ino has told her that her pink hair was very eye catching and hard to miss, which becomes a slight problem for her at times on a mission. Curious at the strange red, Sakura started to try and follow it, when she heard an all too familiar voice calling her.
"My dear Sakura!"
Oh no. She thought dreadfully.
In the words of Naruto 'its bushy-brows!' said Inner Sakura.
"Sakura!" With that, Lee appeared in a pose of his own that looked like Gai's, which in case you didn't know, it was so wrong for either of them to be doing in the first place.
"Hi Lee, what a pleasant surprise." Sakura smiled slightly nervously while sweat dropping to.
"My dear Sakura," Lee suddenly dropped down to one knee while spreading his arms open, almost as if he was waiting to embrace her. "I could not start this glorious day filled with youthful spirit without seeing your glorious face first."
Oh great, now he's creating a scene. Mutter Inner Sakura as she and Sakura started to notice some pass byres staring at them.
"Look mommy, why is that weird green boy on his knee in front of that girl?" a little boy asked his mother.
"It looks like his proposing to her to marry him, that's how a boy asks a girl sweetie." The mother answered as she and her son soon left.
M-Married, to Lee of all people!? Sakura felt an unease shiver run down her body before she shook it off and then glared at Lee.
"Get up, your causing a scene." She hissed at Lee, trying to keep her voice down.
"Of course my darling," he quickly stood up. "I will do whatever it takes to make you happy."
"Umm, thanks I think."
"But of course! Now my dear Sakura, would you honor me of going out with me tonight?"
And here we go.
"Look Lee, I like you but only as a friend and nothing more. I swear we've been through this thousand times already. I'm sorry Lee, but no." said Sakura sadly.
His face dropped a bit. "I know, but I still can't help but keep on asking, for if I do you might change your answer one.
"Yeah… who knows."
Not. She ignored her inner voice.
"But one day I will grow even stronger than anyone else and will prove my love to you, just as long as I have the power of youth on my said!" he did a good guy pose with the sparkling teeth and all, which made Sakura's eye twitch the slightest. "Now I am off, to train myself to the ground and prove to you that I will become the strongest of all my rivals for your love. Farewell my darling!" with that said, Lee took off the other way and disappeared with a travel of dust behind him.
Why me. She sighed.
Suddenly Sakura remembered the spot of red in the crowd before Lee appeared and turned around to try and locate it. But to her disappointment it was gone. With another deep sigh, Sakura decided to pick up the pace and headed off to the meeting point of where team seven is suppose to be at. Breaking into a run with a small amount of chakra, the pinkette dodged everyone in the crowd with little problem and took off like a rocket towards the bridge.
As soon as she reached the bridge, Sakura was greeted with the sight of Naruto leaning over the rail and stare down at the water. But he lifted his head up at the sound of footsteps on the wooden bridge and looked up to see Sakura walking towards him.
He broke out into a foxy grin. "Morning Sakura!"
She smiled and waved at him. "Morning Naruto, is Sasuke or Itachi-sensei here yet?"
"Na, I'm the only one here until you showed up. I think we might be early."
Sakura looked up to the sun. "I think your right."
Naruto nodded.
For the next five minutes, they both waited in silence for both their last teammate and sensei to arrive.
"Ah good, both of you are here on time."
Naruto and Sakura looked from their spot on the rail to see both Itachi and Sasuke arriving at the bridge.
"Good morning sensei." Sakura said before she turned and flashed a bright warm smile at Sasuke. "Good morning to you to Sasuke."
"Morning." said the younger Uchiha while moved over to the spot on the rail, next to Naruto.
"Good morning everyone." Itachi greeted his two other students before he moved over to the other rail across from them and lined back against it with his arms crossed. "Now that we are all here, I have something very important to tell all of you. Now as you know, our village is one of the five great nations as well as one of the wealthiest to. Every twice a year, our village hosts one of the largest and important events in the five great nations. During this event many shinobis from different villages come and participate in this event. Now can anyone tell me what that event is?"
Sakura was the first one to raise her hand at his question, but the older Uchiha wanted to wait and see if Naruto or his brother knew the answer. Of course he wasn't surprise that the blonde didn't know the answer but was a little disappointed when his brother didn't.
Letting out a small sigh Itachi turned towards Sakura with a small smile. "Sakura."
"The event you speak of sensei is the Chuunin Exams." said Sakura with a proud smile.
Her sensei nodded. "You are correct. Every twice a year our village has host the most Chuunin Exams in any of the other five great nations. And this year we are hosting them again."
"That's cool and all but," Naruto titled his head to the side in a cute confuse matter like always, "why are you telling all of this to us, sensei?"
"Because this year, you three are going to participate in them." said Itachi.
"What?!" All three of them said in shock.
At this the older Uchiha smirked a bit. "That's right, this year I am nominating all three of you into the exams. If you think you're up to it that is, the diction is your own. But, be aware that the only way you can enter is to be together."
"So in other words it only allows three man squads in and nothing more." said Sasuke.
"That's about right." said his brother.
"So we all have to agree to enter this year, but if one of us doesn't then no one will." Sakura said out loud.
"The choice is yours to make. But be warned, the Chuunin Exams shouldn't be taken lightly. The tests you three will be put through could easily destroy you and perhaps never truly recover from." said Itachi.
"How old were you when you took them sensei?" the blonde knuckle head asked.
"For me, I took them when I was much younger then you three. But remember, everyone is different and move at a different pace. For instance there will be those that are older then you at the Chuunin Exams that have taken the test before and yet failed. But I believe that the three of you are ready for the exams and will pass them with flying colors."
"You think so?" to Itachi surprise it was Sasuke who asked that.
His older brother couldn't help but smile a little. "I do, I really think the three of you have what it takes to become Chuunin. But as I said before, the choice is yours to make, and if any of you feel like you aren't ready then it's alright."
Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto looked at one another as if they were having a silent conversation about what to do with the coming exam. Their raven haired sensei remained quiet as he watched them carefully and waited to see what their answer would be. It was slightly risk to send only rookies off to one of the biggest exams of the year, but he truly did have faith in them. They were ready for this and would accomplish anything as long as they worked together as a team. He just hoped that they knew that as well.
Finally, all three of his Genin nodded to each other before they turn to Itachi with determine smiles.
"We'll take them." said Sasuke.
"We're not going to let you scare us with those stories sensei. We'll take on anything that they throw at us." Naruto added in.
"Just as long as we stick together, we'll pass them." Sakura finished.
At that, Itachi couldn't help but smile at their determination. "Good, because that's what I wanted to hear from all of you, as long as you worked together as a team, you will come out as the vectors."
"Alright! So when does that big bad Chuunin Exams begin, because I can't wait to beat everyone, including Sasuke!" Naruto declared.
Their sensei chuckled. "Calm down Naruto, the exams doesn't officially start until three days from now. Only the entries of the exams begin today."
"Awww, why is it so long!" the blonde complained.
"Because it gives those from other villages a chance to arrive here and settle in before the exams begin." Soon Itachi's face became serious. "In the next three days you will meet many shinobis from other villages in our village, all here for the exams. During this time I want all of you to be carefully around them and don't start anything with them. You are free to talk to them if you wish, only just be cautious of what you say around them is all. Do I make myself clear?"
"Hai." They replied.
"Alright then," the older Uchiha pushed away from the rail. "Our little meeting here is finished; I'm off to register all three of you in the exams in three days from now. You are free to do anything you wish now, I advise you to spend your time preparing for the exams. Tomorrow, we'll meet here again at the same time so we can train and prepare all of you for the exams, until then." With that Itachi disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"So that's what they were talking about last night." Sasuke muttered.
"Did you say something Sasuke?" Sakura asked.
"It's nothing." He answers, pushing off from the rail and walking off the bridge.
"H-Hey, wait up Sasuke!" the pinkette ran after him.
"Sakura!" Naruto ran after her.
"So what do you think the exams are going to be like?" Naruto asked lazily with his arms folded behind his head, as he and team seven walked through the village.
"Difficult mostly, the way Itachi-sensei made them sound like." said Sakura.
"Will no matter how hard they will be I will beat everyone and come out on top!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air.
"That's hard to believe." said Sasuke.
"What was that!" Naruto whirled around to glare at his teammate.
Sasuke looked calmly at him. "You coming out on top is impossible, especially with your scores when you became a Genin."
"Why you…" Naruto's hands became fists.
"Now calm down Naruto we don't want to start anything before the exams. Remember what Itachi-sensei told us, we need to prepare ourselves for the exams and this is not the time to do something stupid." said Sakura.
"Hmpf," Naruto crossed his arms and looked away from Sasuke.
"Whatever, I'm out of here." said Sasuke.
"Sasuke wait!" but it was so late, Sasuke was already gone.
"Ah, forget him Sakura we don't need him." said her remaining teammate.
Sakura didn't reply as she started at the spot that Sasuke was with a frown on her face. It always seem that Sasuke was always taken off on them not matter what.
The pinkette let out a sigh and looked over to Naruto to see him now talking to some kids. Feeling slightly depressed at Sasuke ignoring her again like always, Sakura lowered her head in depression and let out another sigh full of sadness and depression.
"Is that your girlfriend boss?" Sakura heard one of the kids asked but ignored him.
"Umm, yeah I guess she is. Oh yeah, Sakura is totally crazy about me." said Naruto.
At that Sakura's eye started to twitch.
I'm crazy about WHO now!? She heard her Inner scream.
"You want to repeat that to me now Naruto." Sakura turn to Naruto with a terrifying glare at him.
"N-Nothing Sakura, nothing at all." The blonde said nervously, slightly cowarding from his teammate.
"That's what I thought." She mumbled and started stopping down the other way, leaving Naruto and kids behind.
"Don't feel bad boss, she's ugly anyway." said the kid from before.
Suddenly Sakura came to a halt and slowly turn her head around in a scary way towards the other behind her with the most terrifying look she can muster.
"Run away!" the little kid scream and took off running from her.
With a battle cry, Sakura took off running towards the kid. She heard Naruto yelling something behind her, along with the two other kids but she ignored them and continued to chase the other kid. She wasn't sure how long she had been chancing after him but she didn't show any signs of slowing down at all. After all she was a kunoichi and kunoichis don't tire easily.
Soon the kid in front of her round the corner, still screaming and disappeared from her sight for a moment. But when she round the corner as well, his screams suddenly haulted as she came to a stop at the scene in front of her.
In front of Sakura, she saw the kid she was chancing on the ground while staring up at a guy dressed in black, with purple face paint, and two large scrolls on his back. Next to him was a blonde girl that had her hair in four ponytails, a fan strapped to her back, and dressed in a light purple outfit with fish netting to.
The boy in black scowled and picked up the kid by the collar of his shirt. "That actually hurt you stupid brat."
"Konohamaru!" Naruto yelled as he quickly joined Sakura with the other two kids. "Put him down now!"
The boy in black looked up towards Naruto and smirked. "What if I don't, are you going to make me?"
"Kankuro, knock it off. Remember what sensei said before we arrived here." said the blonde girl next to him.
"Come onTemari, we can't let these punks think we're pushovers if we leave now, and besides sensei will never know as long as we don't tell him." said Kankruo.
Temari sighed, "Fine, but I'm not apart this and don't come complaining to me if sensei puts you through the, as sensei says 'the training from hell'.
"Hey are you listening to me bastard!?" Naruto shouted clearly not happy being ignored.
Sakura wasn't, for she was too busy looking at their headbands in shock.
Their shinobsi from the Hidden Sand Village.
Yeah, so what's your point? her Inner asked.
My point is that we have to try and keep peace with them like Itachi-sensei said.
Oh…
"Please put him down, it's my fault really it was all an accident." said Sakura.
But Kankuro snorted and then smirked. "It's a little late to be apologizing isn't it?"
Suddenly Kankuro yelped in pain and let go of Konohamaru. He growled while holding his injured wrist and looked up to the tree, to only see Sasuke sitting on the branch calmly.
"Don't mess with my team, outsider." Sasuke said coolly.
"Sasuke!" Sakura said dreamily.
How come Sasuke gets to be the hero all the time!? Naruto thought furiously.
"Why you little..." Kankuro glared up at Sasuke.
"It's quite pathetic for a shinobi like yourself to be pick on little kids like that. Are all you sand shinobis that pathetic?"
At that, both of him and Temari glared up at the younger Uchiha.
"I'll show you who's pathetic." With that said Kankuro reached out behind him and grabbed one of the two large scrolls on his back.
At this his blonde sister's eyes widen in shock. "You're using that for this? Do you realize how angry sensei will be if he knew that you use those now?"
But he ignored his sister and started to unravel his scroll. That is until someone stopped him.
"Kankuro, back off."
A cold chilling shiver ran down Sakura's spine at the sound of that voice that made her freeze. Kankuro to froze in fear and shock as well as his sister at the new voice. Both of the siblings looked up on the other side of the tree that Sasuke was on to see a red headed boy hanging upside down from a tree branch. Even Sasuke was surprise by the new visitor and looked around the tree to see the boy on the other side.
"You're an embarrassment to our village, as well as our sensei. He would be both disappointed and furious at this." said the red headed boy.
"P-Please Gaara don't tell sensei, I-I promise it won't happen again." The older boy said shakily.
"Will see." With that said Gaara disappeared in a whirl of sand and reappeared in front of his siblings. "Let's go."
"Okay sure." Temari said as the three started walking off.
"Wait!" Sasuke yelled before he jumped down to join his teammate.
The trio of the sand stopped and turned to face Sasuke. "What is it?" Gaara was the one to ask.
"Tell me, what's your name."
"I believe it is only polite to give ones name first before demanding those of theirs."
"Sasuke Uchiha, and yours?"
"Gaara no Sabuka."
"I bet you want to know what mine is." said Naruto with a foxy grin.
"I could careless." said Gaara.
Sakura stared at the boy named Gaara is slight awe, even though she was little scared up him. But somehow she couldn't pull eyes way from his deep red hair that was so usual, much like her own. His dark scarlet hair looked so soft and silky that she found herself wanting to reach out and run her fingers through them.
"Oh shit, we're late!" Temari exclaimed as she soon realized what time it was.
"Seriously, aw man as if things couldn't get any worse. We should go Gaara before sensei is furious. And frankly I'm not looking forward to his so called 'training from hell." said Kankuro.
"Agreed, we've wasted enough time here." With that said from Gaara, all three of them took off, leaving three confuse and slightly uneasy Leaf Genin from that one Sand Genin.
"As you all know today is the official day of the entries of the Chuunin Exams that will start in three days from now." said the third Hokage.
"I've already noticed that some of the other villages Genin have arrived already." said Asuma.
"It seems that this year is going to be quite larger than normal." said Kurenai.
"Indeed, this year we are talking on a larger number of Genin from different villages, even some surprisingly numbers from another village." The Hokage let out a puff of smoke from his pipe. "Now then, Kurenia, Asuma, and Itachi would you all please step forward."
Soon the three said Jonins stepped forward, standing in front of the Hokage.
"All three of you have a team of rookie Genin that graduated from the academy no more than five months or so. Do you wish to submit them into the Chuunin Exams?" The Hokage asked.
Kurenia was the first to step forward, "I Kurenia Yuhi, leader of team eight of Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Hinata Hyuuga, wish to submit all three into the Chuunin Exams."
Kurenia took a step back, just as Asume took a step forward, "I Asume Sarutobi, leader of team ten of Choji Akimichi, Shikamaru Nara, and Ino Yamanaka, wish to submit all three into the Chuunin Exams."
Asume took a step back, just as Itachi took a step forward, "I Itachi Uchiha, leader of team eight of Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno, wish to submit all three into the Chuunin Exams."
Every Jonin and Chuunin soon whispered to one another in shock and surprise that nine rookies were being submitted this year, for that hasn't happen in who knows how long.
"How surprising, are you all sure?" the third asked.
All three Jonin nodded.
"Very well, all nine rookies will be submitted into the Chuunin Exams. Now that is out of the way all three of you may return to the group as we can move to the next important subject."
With their dismiss from their Hokage, all three Jonin return to their earlier positions.
"Now as I have mention before this year there will be a surprisingly number of shinobis from different lands, especially this one in particular." He took another puff from his pipe. "This year we are letting a new village participate in the Chuunin Exams, one that some of you might resent against. Now please remember our village has been working hard of gaining a peacefully alliance with this village almost during the time of the First Hokage." He paused while taking another puff from his pipe, readying himself for the outburst that was about to come. "This year, not only are we hosting the normal villages we hold an alliance with, we are also hosting Iwagakure, The Village Hidden Among the Rocks."
"You just had to start something, didn't you!" Temari scowled.
"Hey it wasn't my fault that I lost track of time!" Kankuro shouted.
The Sand Siblings quickly rushed down the many roads of Konoha to join up with their sensei at the meeting point he picked out. If they were late the slightest second, they would be in a world of hurt from their sensei.
"Since when am I in charge of keeping track of time!?" Temari shouted.
"Since you are the only one that owns a watch, that's why!" Kankuro shouted back.
"What about you!? I swore that I bought you one on your last birthday so you could keep track of time to, where is that?!"
"You didn't didn't buy me a watch!"
"Yes I did!"
"No you did it!"
"Yes I did you idiot!"
"Don't call me an idiot!"
"You are an idiot, idiot!"
During this time as both of his siblings bicker, Gaara came to a sudden halt as he watched them keep on running towards the unknown danger ahead.
"For the last time I bought it for you!"
"And for the last hundredth time I told you that you didn't!"
"And for the last hundredth time I'm-" Temari never finished as suddenly, a large spear like tail strike at them.
With barely any time, both Temari and Kankuro jumped back from the attack without a scratch and stood back in slight uneasiness and fear at their attacker.
"You three are late." said a deep and low voice that belonged to a hunch back figure with black spiky hair, a black cloth cover his nose and mouth, and dressed in large black cloak.
Haha! That's right the Sand Siblings get Sasori as their sensei. Ahhh... You got to feel sorry for them though... maybe.
!IMPORTANT!
