Team Sharingan

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or assorted characters, I'm just messing up the world to fit the delusions coming from my skull.

Chapter 12

"Not that one."

Sakura put the folder aside and opened the next. She didn't even have it opened all the way when Naruto said "That one either."

"Now you're being difficult." Sakura said opening it and scanning it. After a minute she sighed and closed it. Naruto smiled.

"Shut up." Sakura said.

"I was right." Naruto said with a grin as he was flipping a kunai.

"Even you can be right once and a while." Sakura said mockingly and stuck out her tongue.

"Hey, don't point that at me. Who knows where its been."

"HEY!" the rosette said in mock rage.

Naruto laughed and pulled the next folder, opened it and closed it.

"What?"

"Ami." He said.

"Definitely not." Sakura agreed about her old tormentor with a sour face. She grabbed the next folder. "We've been at this for a while, and the Hokage's secretary brought us another stack."

Naruto made a "Hn." Sound and scanned another folder.

"I thought the old man said those were it." He gestured to the original stack.

"His secretary said those were the most recent, but not all of them." Sakura said with a sigh. "All this manpower going to waste." She said.

"No kidding. With so many Genin without teams you'd think that instead of having them do single D-rank missions, they'd reform them into full teams." Naruto sighed.

"Then why don't you both do that?"

Sakura and Naruto jumped a foot in the air as they turned to see the Hokage leaning against the wall by the door.

"Ojii-san, DON'T DO THAT!" Naruto said with a hand over his heart. Sarutobi chuckled slightly as he came further into the room. "Those have been waiting for the council to do for nearly a year." He said sadly.

Naruto scrunched his nose at that. "Why does the council have so much power? I mean teme was telling me a bit about what they were trying to force him to do while we were training on the tree climbing exercise."

Sakura looked surprised at this. She should have realized the boys talked and did more than trade insults.

Sarutobi pulled up a chair and sat down with a grown. "How is your search going?"

Naruto grunted and showed him the stack of rejected files. "Not so good. I knew a lot of them from previous attempts."

Sarutobi internally winced. "Well, I'm sure you'll find someone." He said.

Naruto grunted and palmed his lone blue eye. Sakura noticed he did this when he was stressed. I really have gotten to know Naruto since Sasuke's death. When he's embarrassed or nervous he scratches the back of his head and neck. When he's stressed he uses the heel of his hand to rub his eye. That big grin he shows the world is fake, but the soft smile is real.

She shook her head. "How about we take a break?" she said closing a folder of another former classmate that she knew wouldn't work well with her and or Naruto.

"I'll buy you both lunch. Think about organizing those, and I'll buy you both dinner."

The trio left, not seeing the shadow from the corner finally move. A young man wearing a Root uniform slipped in and placed several more files into the stacks. With a look at the room, the young man slipped away to report to Danzo and wait to see if the plan would take fruit.

XX

(Ichiraku Ramen Stand)

The old man and his daughter were happy to see Naruto and fussed over him. They welcomed Sakura as well and the Hokage smiled seeing Naruto's tension relax at being welcomed warmly by those who care for him.

Sakura watched as Naruto inhaled bowl after bowl of ramen, she shook her head, but knew that he had a big appetite. But this is the first time I've sat and watched him eat just ramen.

"So, the two of you need a third teammate?" Ayame asked as Naruto had finished his narrative of what had taken place.

"Yeah. Ojii-san has us looking through files." Naruto made a face, but smiled as old man Teuchi placed a fresh bowl of ramen in front of him. "Eat up." He said.

"But…"

"This one is on me. We were worried about you." The ramen cook said. Sakura saw it in Naruto's eye and felt it down the bond.

"Thanks old man." Naruto said softly.

The Hokage too gave the blond a soft smile. Sakura realized that while she had her mother, Naruto had made his own family with this strange group of a ramen cook, his daughter and the Hokage.

Naruto felt the hint of sadness and looked. "You okay Sakura-chan?" he asked.

"I'm fine. Just thinking." She said.

Naruto knew better, but he also knew that Sakura would talk in her own way and time.

XX

It took thirty bowls, but Naruto finally pushed back from the counter and patted his full belly.

Sakura watched as the Hokage paid the bill, Naruto was still chatting with the cook.

"Sakura."

The green eyed rosette haired girl turned. "Yes Ayame?"

"If your looking for a partner, might I make a suggestion?"

Sakura nodded. "Any help would be appreciated."

"Well this is a temporary partner right?" Ayame asked to which Sakura nodded. "I suggest then, there's a genin who hasn't been on a team in a couple of years. She usually trains at night at Training Ground 13."

Sakura was surprised by this. "Why? I mean why has this person stopped doing missions and such?" Ayame closed her eyes. "It's a sad story. Several years ago, her whole team was killed. Her Jounin sensei, and her teammates who were her best friends. She quit that day."

"What's her name?" Sakura asked.

Ayame shook her head. "If she wants you to know, she'll tell you. But she usually goes by the name Raku. She wears a mask and is a private person. But she is skilled enough to help you and Naruto…tell her…tell her Ayame sent you and she'll help." The waitress looked over her shoulder and smiled. "She won't judge Naruto-kun." She said and that sealed it for Sakura.

XX

It had taken most of the afternoon for them to sort the various files into teams. Once they were done, Naruto said he'd meet her for dinner, he wanted to talk with the Hokage and he'd drop off the files.

Sakura nodded distractedly. "I'll meet you later." She agreed and left. Naruto could feel her distraction, but he could tell that she was closing it off thanks to the training they'd gotten from Inoichi and Mikoto.

With a shrug he went to tell the Hokage that none of the available Genin were acceptable to him, nor Sakura with the amount of personality issues.

I guess we'll have to wait till next year. Naruto thought.

XX

(Training Ground 13)

Sakura made her way and stopped seeing a female going through the motions of a kata of an unknown taijutsu.

Ayame was right, she's wearing a mask and cowl, you can't tell who it is. Sakura thought.

"Hello." She called out.

"Who goes there?" the figure that Ayame called Raku demanded.

"I don't want any trouble. My name is Sakura. Ayame told me how to find you." She said entering the training grounds and stopping several feet away.

"Ayame?" Raku said. "And why would she send you to find me?"

"My teammate and I need a third member to take this years Chuunin exam, and…"

"Not interested." Raku said and started to turn away.

"Wait. Ayame said you could help…its just for the exam…" Sakura said trying to stop the masked nin from leaving.

"Just for the exam?" Raku asked, her voice muffled by her mask.

"Yes. I…I want to find someone who won't judge my other teammate."

"And who is your other teammate that would prevent you from asking a more active Genin?" Raku asked.

"Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki." Sakura said. Raku remained quiet and Sakura figured that she wasn't going to agree.

"I'm sorry to disturb you."

Sakura turned and took several steps.

"Wait."

She turned back to see Raku standing with arms crossed. "I will be your teammate for the exam."

"Really? Why did you change your mind?" Sakura asked.

"My reasons are my own. What training ground, and time?"

"What?"

"We need to work on some tactics and spar to know what we can do so we can compensate during the exam." Raku said.

"Oh…um, Training Ground 7." Sakura said. "Naruto and I usually start at seven."

Raku nodded. "I'll be there."

Raku walked off. "Goodnight!" Sakura called after the masked girl. "And thank you!"

Raku waved a gloved hand before vanishing from sight.

Sakura smiled and hurried home. Wait until I tell Naruto-kun. He'll be happy we can take the exam.

XX

Kakashi had watched the whole thing from the safety of the trees and masked his chakra.

"Your playing a dangerous game." He said looking at Raku who appeared on a branch near him.

"They need help, and its something I can do for him." The masked girl said.

"How do you think he'll react if…no, this is Naruto we're talking about, when he finds out?"

Raku shrugged. "He'll be excited and rant a bit about people keeping secrets from him. I'll explain and he'll be fine."

Kakashi sighed. "I hope your right." He moved to go, but Raku's muffled voice stopped him. "Be on time Kakashi. Or I will burn your book collection."

His eye widened and he turned, but Raku was really gone this time.

"Strange girl." He muttered before leaving, deciding to get a good nights rest. He hadn't told her or anyone outside of Asuma and Inoichi that he hadn't touched his books since Sasuke's death, and he hadn't been late since then either. She'll find out soon enough. He thought.

AN: Team 7-2 meets and the Chuunin Exams. "ARE…YOU…READY?"

Double post this week as my provider was down last weekend. So it looks like I was busy, but in fact I had more free time without net access. (made a couple of new stories as well)