13:17, 17th June- ten days before the present time

North Gate, Village Hidden in the Leaves, Konoha.

Sakura Haruno's P.O.V.

"Hey! Sasuke! Get away from her!" Naruto didn't slowdown when he reached Sasuke; instead he jumped on him from behind, making Sasuke lunge foreword, and in turn that pushes me backwards. I land on my backside, but I'm pushed even closer to the ground by Sasuke, as his hands are sill connected to my arms. Naruto, being the knuckle-head ninja he is, decided to start bouncing up and down on to of Sasuke, who was still on top of me (facing downwards) and begins to hit Sasuke repetitively on the back, shouting "Don't you dare hurt Sakura! Don't touch her you bastard!" At the time, I was extremely pissed off, as I was just about to give Sasuke a lashing, but no, everything had to be ruined by the orange jump-suit on top of both of us. I looked up at Sasuke, and saw his facial expression, he seemed slightly apologetic, but more pissed off, like my own. Luckily I wasn't feeling the barrage of blows from Naruto, because Sasuke was propping himself up be his arms, thus his body was never in contact with mine, and thus it never felt like Sasuke was being raped by Naruto, who in turn was raping me. I'm glad I avoided that situation…

Because Sasuke had propped himself up, there was room for me to slither out from under both of them, and prize Naruto from Sasuke, and try to calm him down. It didn't seem to go to plan… "Calm down Naruto, Sasuke didn't do anything wrong, in fact he even apologised!"

"SHUT UP! I bet you he didn't even mean it, I mean, why would he, he's such a self-centred JERK! Let me GO Sakura, I need to kick his whiny little ass into next week!"

"NARUTO! Calm down! Please, just calm down." I let go of Naruto and smoothed out the wrinkles on his jump-suit, I looked up at him again just as Kakashi-sensei poofed in.

"Looks like we're all having fun here, shall we get moving?" I sighed in relief of Kakashi-sensei's arrival, because both Naruto and Sasuke seemed to behave around him. I looked at Naruto again, and said softly,

"We should get going…" I watched Naruto eyeing Sasuke carefully, and Sasuke eyeing Naruto carefully until they both decided that it was safe to start moving out towards the gate, I let them go on ahead and waited for Kakashi-sensei. Kakashi and I walked in unison together, watching the boys in silence. After a while, I asked how long the journey would be, then lowered my voice to nearly an inaudible whisper to say: "is it wise to send team 7 out to this tournament, I mean, does Tsunade-sama know about team 7's… problem?" Kakashi' eyes closed and it seemed like forever until he opened them again to answer. He sighed.

"No, she is still unaware of the situation she doesn't even know there is a situation… in fact, no one knows, it was only the third Hokage, Jiraiya-sama, and myself that knew. And well… there really hasn't been a sober moment when I have been able to talk to Tsunade… she really does enjoy her sake…"

"So… you're telling me right now, that Tsunade-sama, A.K.A. the fourth Hokage has no idea I even exist???" Kakashi embarrassingly put his arm up and scratched the back of his head and blushed a little.

"He he… not really, no…" I was extremely cross with Sensei for not telling the Hokage one of the most important things ever… and now she's sent us all off to a tournament, what happens if my jutsu fails then??? Everybody there will know who I am, all the important ninjas from the other villages will know, there will be a bounty on my head for sure… the news will spread like wild fire and I'll be done for, for sure. I looked down and watched the ground move beneath my feet. I sighed in disbelief, and fear.

Just then, I felt something wet make a "plik" sound on the tip of my nose, it was beginning to rain! Looked up, and, there I was, met with a barrage of water droplets- in the middle of June! I said more for myself, but Kakashi seemed to hear too, "aa… ame da" and smiled to him, in more of a polite way then anything. I was a little worried, though; there hadn't been any clouds last time I had checked, I looked over at Sasuke and Naruto, who were expressing the same looks of bewilderment too. I looked to Naruto as he said, "Hey, Kakashi-sensei, when are we going to get there?"

"It's not too far from here, but, I think we should maybe wait until the rain stops, Sasuke, do you see any shelter?" I decided to reply to the question before Sasuke could even open his mouth.

"Kakashi-sensei, there's a small tea house about two minuets down the road from here; if we run we could make it in under that." Kakashi smiled.

"I like the way you think, Sakura." I returned his grin with one of my own, and sped past Naruto and Sasuke, if this mission is going to jeopardise my well being, then, I might as well have some fun doing it.

"Last one there is a dobe!!!" I left Saskue and Naruto in shock of the sudden turn of events before they glanced at each other, determined not to lose. Kakashi chuckled to himself as he snapped his book closed and poofed away.

I looked over my shoulder, and saw Sasuke and Naruto running in complete unison, neck and neck… but, not using any chakra. By releasing small bursts of chakra from my feet, I was able to propel myself a little faster each step, gathering momentum until I was moving exceptionally fast. And Kakashi… was already at the tea house??? I could see him reading his pervy book down at the entrance, I wondered how the hell he got there so fast, I looked back at Naruto and Sasuke, and they still weren't using any chakra, silly men. Their rivalry got in the way of their common sense. I arrived at the tea house in record time, only about ten seconds before the two boys caught up; they were both panting, and bent over clutching their knees. As soon as they caught their breath they both stood up bolt upright and chorused "I got here before you!" As they pointed at each other; I can imagine it was almost like looking into a mirror for them. They both spun round and said again, in unison, "No you didn't! Stop copying me!" At that point, Kakashi-sensei and I couldn't help but crack up laughing.

Naruto and Sasuke both looked round at us and said "Tell us who got here first!" I decided to reply.

"Out of all of us? Kakashi-sensei. Out of you two? Neither. You both got here at the same time." Kakashi snapped his book shut again and decided to change the conversation.

"Shall we go and get some tea, then, dobes?" I smiled; they really were acting like dobes.

Kakashi-sensei opened the door to the tea house; the rain was getting a little heavier by then. We all walked in, one after the other. Kakashi announced to the owner that we would like to order one large pot of green tea. And we all sat down at a table. I asked if there was a toilet, the woman told me where it was.

Kakashi watched me leave. It was slightly unnerving, having his sharingan boring into the back of my head, but, I guess he was just a little curious. Naruto and Sasuke didn't even seem to notice.

I stepped inside the toilet, sat on the floor, and immediately dived into my satchel. I pulled out the necklace that I had put in there earlier. 'If I ever loose my bag, I don't want to loose the necklace with it' I thought. I looked down at the necklace; I studied its fine detail and beauty. The necklace was my mother's before she died; she said she'd give it to me one day. That day never came. The necklace was beautiful, but, as my mother used to chide: "It is the wearer that makes the person breathtaking; the necklace cannot make an evil person good." I closed my eyes as I thought of her. She was so strong and intelligent; it is so strange that she fell to such a person…

The necklace was made of silver, mother said that it was my father's side of the family that suited gold, she said that silver looked nicer on her. The design was quite ingenious; at first glance it seemed to look like a small, silver disk on a chain. There were all sorts of carvings in the silver, and as you flipped it over, there was the new joined clan's crest. There was one magnificent large moonstone in the middle of it, which glistened when placed in the sun. There was something that Sakura had never understood, though; there was a small hole on the bottom of the disk, so the hole faced the floor. It looked like the letter "S" and it looked as if it was supposed to join with something… but it was never found. Nobody could find what fit in the locket, after that treacherous day. Not even Kakashi-sensei.

I looked up as I heard someone banging on the door; it startled me so much I thought I was going to drop the necklace. It was the woman I had spoken to before, she was shouting through the door "You're tea's getting cold! Are you OK in there?" I responded, weakly "I'll be out in a minute." I heard her footsteps fading into the distance. I got up and went to the mirror before collecting my bag and opening the toilet door. I stopped dead in my tracks; I had forgotten to put the necklace in my dress, the pendant was in plain sight of anybody that wished to see it. I turned swiftly around, before Kakashi or any of the others had time to look over, and unzipped the first two inches of my dress, slid the pendant in it, and zipped it back up. It was then, when I realised that I was getting a little too big for my dress… I mean, I am growing after all. But I couldn't do up the last inch again. I sighed, picked up my bag and returned to the table.

I suddenly felt very exposed, who knew that such a minute change could have made such a big impact? I was sitting next to Kakashi-sensei, so all I could see were Naruto and Sasuke's faces. At first Sasuke didn't even notice, but Naruto… I felt my face getting hotter just looking back at him. Sasuke took one look at me, and then spurted his sip that he was taking straight back out. He was laughing. I felt my face going red; I didn't even need a mirror to know that. He was in hysterics. Naruto finally draw his gaze away, and asked what was so funny; baka Naruto, always oblivious.

"W-what's so funny? Bwa hahahaha! T-tell me, Sakura; who are you trying to impress? Bwa ha haa!!" I sat there with clenched fists. I couldn't just tell them what I had done, so instead, I decided to throw my tea at him. Lucky for him I had spent so much time putting the necklace on that it would only have been about twenty degrees by then, but, still it caught him by surprise, and gave me a chuckle too.

"You don't have to be sad, Sakura! You impressed me!" Foolish Naruto, he was only trying to be nice, but I made him eat those words after he said them. In fact I made such a commotion with Naruto that we were asked to leave. Kakashi-sensei was chuckling all the way to the tournament. I kept my distance from all three of those boys. I couldn't bare the thought of having to speak to any of them ever again.

***

When we arrived at the entrance to the centre, we were greeted by a Jounin of the Village Hidden in the Mist. He directed us to the West Entrance, and we were to stay in room 3-A. We arrived there only about three minutes later, Kakashi-sensei said that each team had a room to share, and the Senseis all had a room next to the Genin's. Naruto complained that it was unfair, and asked how on earth he was supposed to live in the same room as Sasuke; I felt the same way, but, it was only a week, so I stayed silent.

Kakashi told Naruto to be quiet as he ushered us into room 3-A, he said that he needed to go file some paperwork and slammed the door shut, and I heard the lock click. "He obviously doesn't trust us" Naruto exclaimed as he furiously shook the door by its handle.

"Naruto, have you ever maybe thought that he's doing this for our protection. There are other ninja's outside that door from other villages that may well be a lot older and stronger then us. And knowing you, you'd soon get us into a fight with one of them, and then where would we be?"

"Sasuke has got a point, although I do hate to admit it, Naruto." I glared at Sasuke before looking around the room. There were only two visible beds. 'Crap. I swear to god, I am going to kill you Kakashi, as soon as I get out of here.' Looks like Sasuke had noticed too, as he uttered "kuso" under his breath before staring intently at me. "Naruto, where do you wish to sleep?" I asked politely. I really didn't mind sleeping on the floor if it was necessary.

"Huh?" Naruto looked round at the sleeping area; "Aiyaa- there are only two beds in here! What the hell were these people thinking? Sakura, I think you should have one of the beds. I don't mind sleeping on the floor! Just as long as you're not sharing with Sasuke, then I don't care where I sleep!"

"I'm glad you don't care where you sleep, Naruto, because at the moment you'll be sleeping outside with the rest of the dogs." Sasuke smirked while Naruto's face turned a lovely shade of beetroot. "And I assure you Naruto, she won't be sleeping anywhere near me."

"Shut up! Both of you! I don't want any fights if we are all going to be roommates here. OK?" Both Sasuke and Naruto resumed to their normal positions, after giving each other one final death-glare. "Good, now, seeing as Naruto insists I sleep on one of the beds, you two have to decide who sleeps on the ground to the right of the first bed, or on the second bed, near the wall."

"I shall sacrifice myself; I shall take the bed near the wall… I guess that just leaves you on the floor, Naruto; where the dogs belong."

"Hey I didn't even get a chance to say anything!" Naruto pulled a very pouty face while Sasuke and I put our belongings out on the bed.

I took out my pyjamas (what was basically a long shirt, with a v-neck collar). While I was rifling through my bag my hand brushed across the picture I had brought with me, I looked at it in my hands before I stuffed it to the bottom of my bag, before Sasuke saw.

I looked around at Naruto, who was taking out various scrolls from his bag, and throwing some back. I think he was deciding which ones to use tomorrow. I sighed and looked out the tiny window very high up. It was almost twilight. Time had flown by today. It seemed all a blur now.

"I think we should get some sleep if we want to be in top form for tomorrow's matches." Sasuke said, also looking out the window. Naruto looked up at him before agreeing with a stern:
"H-hai."

I looked back at Sasuke. He had changed so much since the day we first met; he told me everything, he played with me, and he laughed with me. He was so happy back then, for no valid reason. He didn't need to torment poor Naruto to get a kick in life. I started un-zipping the front of my dress, to put on my pyjamas. I glanced up at Sasuke, who was facing me still un-packing. His face was dusted with pink, and the look on his face was priceless. He thought I was stripping for him! I suddenly felt quite shy, and decided to zip my dress back up, put on my night-shirt, and then take off my dress, underneath my pyjamas. Maybe that would make him happier.

I turned around the other way, to face Naruto this time, to undress, which, only now seems like a bad idea. I un-zipped the dress again, and let it fall before kicking it lazily from my ankles onto the bed. I was just about to take of my shorts when I realised Naruto was having a nosebleed. "Aiyaaaaaa! Naruto! Control yourself!" my horror was met with chuckles, which turned into giggles which turned swiftly into hysteric laughter soon after. I turned around at told Sasuke to shut up, and then jumped on Naruto and slapped him silly until his fear of me finally made his nosebleed stop. Sasuke's laughter turned into chuckles once more and he finally wiped the tears from his eyes before he looked up at me.

My inner Sakura was beginning to shine through, as I cracked my knuckles and moved so my shadow surrounded Sasuke's body. He looked more afraid then I had ever seen him in my life… this made me thrown my head back and cackle maniacally; which scared him even more so. I saw him lean backward as I leaned in before swiftly punching his stomach, releasing chakra on impact; which made it even more painful then my usual hit. I let him fall face first onto his bed, then roll onto his side, clutching his stomach in pain. I stood there wondering if I over-did it, but, then thought that he really did deserve it. I stuck my nose into the air, and then proceeded to get into my bed, as it was already dark outside; before I lay down I took one last look at Naruto, who had one tiny droplet of blood under his nostril. I turned to him and said "that better not be another nosebleed, you baka, or you'll wish you were never born."

"N-no sir, I mean m'am!" I grinned as I slid underneath the covers, just as five minutes later both Sasuke and Naruto did (after they changed, of course). I took a deep breath in as I slid my eyelids down. It had been a long day. I wanted to sleep, my mind forgot about all the sad times and decided to take me back to the times when I knew who Sasuke really was, and when my mother was still alive…