Summary: For her, she'd be willing to do anything... even give up her femininity. She'd be willing to be a guy... no matter what. All for her... Too bad Sasuke won't leave her be.

Disclaimer: Yeah... I own Naruto and that's why I'm writing a fan fiction in which Naruto is a girl instead of just creating a whole new series. And its also why i'm writing a narusasu fanfiction instead of just making it the canon pairing of the series... yup. In other words.... I don't own it.

AN: Ha ha... About that long wait... What can I say? Exams got in the way! However, I recently got told NMW was getting too cliched... Ha ha... (scratches head) hence the poll in my profile (it's for my self-esteem... which is quickly plummeting). eh... I guess I could see where you're coming from... Hmm... maybe I should take a month long retreat to recover from my shock? (dodges spoons and forks) Jk! But seriously... I will be gone for a month from July 2nd to August 8th. I'm going to Korea for those days so you probably shouldn't expect an update from me... (winces)

No Matter What

Chapter 13

"Sakura-san!"

Sakura gave a strained smile at the exhuberant male before trying to get a clear view of what was happening once more. "Ah. Lee-san. Ne, Sasuke-kun. Do you think you could lift me a little bit higher?"

"What the hell am I, you packhorse?" he muttered under his breath, raising his arms a few inches higher. She really wasn't as light as she made herself out to be. Not that he would ever tell her that.

His eyes turned sparkly. "The lovely Sakura-san has remembered my undeserving name! How wonderous and youthful today is!"

Sakura turned her attention, beginning to get creeped out. "Ah ha... riiiiiight.... Anyways. Lee-san! What's going on over there?"

"Ah. These unyouthful genins are forbidding us from entering the exam center. How unforgiveable!" His eyes burned with passion at the injustice once more. "I was just about to show these unyouthful people a lesson when Naruto-san caught my attention and I saw you-"

"AAAAAAAAHHH!"

Thump!

The crowd surrounding team Gai cleared up, giving Sakura and Sasuke clear views of certain events... such the dizzy Naruto who still had yet to get off of a certain Hyuuga Neji. Sasuke's finger twitched just the slightest bit.

'That dobe. How long is she going to stay like that?' He scowled.

Meanwhile, Naruto had conveniently forgotten that she was lying on top of someone as she pondering on that strange heavy feeling. 'Hmm... What was that? Was it that thing that old people get sometimes? What was it again...? Heart... heart stomach? Nah, that doesn't even make sense. Heart kunai? No no... It would be more sharp then... Heart burn? I don't think so... Hmm.. Maybe it was-'

".... Get off."

"Huh?!" Her head snapped up as the voice broke through her thoughts.

"..... Get. Off."

Her brows furrowed. Geez, what was up this asshole's ass? She could almost detect a small sense of Sasuke-esque-cold-bastardly-fuck-off-ness. But it was different. Less... Hmm... Why the hell was she thinking about this any way?

"Get off me, you ret-"

"How long are you going to stay laying on him, Naruto?!" Sasuke bit out, eyes smoldering just the slightest bit. Naruto snapped out of her daze upon hearing his snarky voice. A scowl adorned her face as she lifted herself up to face him, all thoughts of her earlier pain disappearing without a trace.

"Teme! What the hell is your problem anyway?! And who the hell are you talking about?! I'm not on anybody!"

The surrounding people looked at the orange clad shinobi with disbelieving eyes. How could she not notice the person she was currently sitting on!? A vein twitched just above her teammate's eye.

"Look below you before you talk, idiot!"

She gave a quick glance down below her, her scowl growing ever larger. "I did! See there's no one down..." She blinked before glancing below her where the floor should be... but wasn't. Narrowing her eyes at the glowering face, she held out a finger and poked him before looking up at the Uchiha once again. "Oi. I won't fall for that trick again! This is a genjutsu isn't it?! You know, bastard, you've got some nerve if-"

She fell flat on her face before she was able to complete her accusations. The male below her had gotten tired of waiting and thrown her off of him.

"I'm surprised that fate has allowed an idiot such as you into the exam," he commented arrogantly, milky white eyes becoming as cold as the antarctic. "You should at least be able to know a genjutsu when you see one if you were to enter this exam. You should just quit. Fate is has declared you incapable of being promoted."

Just a bit behind Sasuke, Sakura fists clenched. It was one thing for her and Sasuke-kun to insult Naruto. It was one thing for enemies like Zabusa to insult him and, by extension, them. It was completely another for this asshole to insult her teammate and tell him to quit - tell them to quit, really. Though... he was, admittedly, acting quite idiotic. Still! It was unacceptable. Especially when...

"Hey! Who do you think you are to talk so high and mighty when you and your teammates weren't able to even see that genjutsu on the room number?!" she shouted, scowling fiercely at the Hyuuga slightly. Being teamed with the Uchiha had to have some benefits didn't it? Learning how to scowl properly was just one of them. "We're on the second floor. Why would the numbers be 302? Like you're one to talk about recognizing genjutsu! And to think! You're a Hyuuga at that!"

Murmurs spread through the crowd. 302? Second floor? Was it really a genjutsu? Embarrassment colored a few people's cheeks. The Hyuuga just glared at her. "I knew so from the very beginning. It is just that my teammate-"

Naruto let out a barking laughter. "Don't try to save face now, asshole! It ain't gonna work! If I should quit the exam for not recognizing a genjutsu, shouldn't you as well? At least I thought you might've been some uber high class genjutsu! You fell for a low level one!" Not that she could talk really... She hadn't been able to tell either. Her teammates sweatdropped behind her, aware of this knowledge.

Sakura let out a sigh at her blond teammate's hypocrisy and boastful nature. However, it's not as though she'd change it. It was to their benefit this time after all....

"Come on, Naruto. We should go to the correct room. No need to stay with these-"

"Prickly Sasuke-esque bastards?" Naruto suggested, interrupting the pink-head.

Her eye twitched at the interrupted. "Not quite how I would put it. But sure. Except worse. Sasuke-kun isn't that bad."

They both tripped as a glowering Uchiha walked past them. Glancing at each other, they let out a laugh.

A few minutes outside the exam room...

Kakashi raised an eyebrow as his team walked towards him, two of them snickering at the other, which, for once, was not Naruto. "All three of you came. Good job. If one of you hadn't... well... All three would have failed." He smiled at them, one eye curving happily.

They gaped at him. "You... you... You lied! AGAIN!" Naruto shouted, pointing at her sensei. "You stupid, always late, always lying-"

He laughed good naturedly, patting the blond on the head. "Hai hai! Though it's funny you should be saying that since I've actually arrived before you this time."

This made all of team seven freeze, eyes wide. They were... later? Than Kakashi-sensei? He pushed them into the room with a snicker. Ah... sometimes it was good to be early every now and then.

They stood immobile at the entrance before glancing at each other with disbelief. A pause before... "NO WAY!"

The shout rang throughout the room, attracting all sorts of unwanted attention. However, none of them noticed.

"Sasuke-kun!!" The exclamation was directly followed by a glomp from the blond president of the Uchiha Sasuke fanclub. That is, one Yamanaka Ino. "You're late! I was waiting forever!"

Sakura stared at her "rival" in pity. 'I wonder if I should tell her that he's gay for Naruto of all people? Nah... she wouldn't believe me...' She blinked when the blond actually willing got of the Uchiha without even being prompted to.

"Huh? You guys are taking this troublesome test too? Don't die," Shikamaru flippantly commented, slouching his way over to the ever growing group, Chouji following after him.

Naruto grinned at them. "Ah! It's the idiot trio!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at the crossdresser. "You shouldn't be one to talk. You're stupider than us."

This comment earned him a raspberry. She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off.

"Yahoo! Found you!"

"H-hello..."

"..."

Kiba grinned at the six fellow rookies grouped together. "Well well... Seems everyone is assembled! And without us too!" He let out a dramatic and obviously fake sniff.

"Troublesome. You three are here too?"

"I see all nine of this year's rookies are taking the exam. I wonder how far we'll get, eh Sasuke?"

The Uchiha raised an eyebrow at the confident Inuzuka. "You seem pretty-"

"Gah! Obnoxious overload! Obnoxious overload!" Naruto shouted, covering her ears with her hands. Kiba scowled at her.

"Last time I checked, you weren't called Sasuke, Naruto! Who the hell asked for your opinion anyway, dead last?!"

"Well-"

"Hey. You guys should be more quiet," a calm voice suggested, footsteps steadily approaching them. A white haired teenager with glasses was walking over to them. Naruto squinted at him. Premature graying? "Screaming like premature preschoolers. You guys are just out of the academy aren't you?" The teen chuckled, raising the ire of the nine quickly.

"Who the hell are you?!" Naruto scowled.

He raised an eyebrow good naturedly. "I'm Kabuto. But disregarding that... I'd take a look behind you."

Their brows furrowed in confusion. Behind them? They turned around only to be frozen by the intensity of the killing intent directed at them by their fellow examinees. A wide variety of nins from different hidden villages were glaring at them. However, a particular trio with a kitai-ate consisting of three dashes stood out.

"Those guys behind you are from the hidden rain. They have pretty nasty tempers so I'd quiet down before you cause a scene. Everyone's pretty nervous about the exam."

The rookies gulped nervously, unnerved by their glares. "A-ah."

"Well... can't say I blame you. You remind me of how I used to be."

Sakura's brows furrowed. "Ka... buto-san.... right?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"You said 'how I used to be'. Does this mean that this is your second time?"

The white haired genin shook his head sheepishly. "No. It's my seventh." Several of the rookies choked. Seventh?! Was this exam that hard?! "This exam is held twice a year so this is my fourth year."

"So you must know quite a bit about the exam," Ino commented eyeing him interestedly.

Shikamaru shook his head muttering under his breath, "He can't be that knowledgable if he's screwed up so many times."

Kabuto smiled at the blond. "I'll show you guys something good." He pulled out a set of cards. "These are my special nin info cards. If you infuse them with chakra they'll show you information that I've burned into them."

The pink-head of team seven eyed them with scruntity. "Wow.. Nin info cards huh?"

"I have four years of information on these cards." He caressed with the care of a mother and her newborn baby, earning him more than a few strange stares.

"Do you have information on certain individuals?"

"Depends. Have anyone in mind?" He smirked.

Scowling, Sasuke answered. "Subaku no Gaara." After a moment's pause, he added, "some Hyuuga as well."

The surrounding genin deadpanned just a bit. "Some Hyuuga as well"? Like that really helps! Kabuto let out an amused chuckle. "Any other helpful clues?"

"He's about a year older than us."

Behind them, Hinata furrowed her brows. A year older than them? The only person that she could think of was... "Neji-niisan?"

The people crowded around her whipped their heads, surprised to hear her talking. She was usually quiet and shy and spoke with a stutter. So to hear her speak fluently was a bit of a surprise to some. "Wow! Hyuuga-san! You spoke without a stutter!" Naruto stared at her with eyes wide with delighted surprise. "So you can speak normally!"

Hinata's face turned bright red with embarrassment, even as Sakura bashed Naruto's head in hopes of cramming some manners into him. "Naruto! Don't be so rude!"

"B-but! Sakura-chan!"

"No!"

Behind them, the others were consumed with the cards. "Hmm... Well, let's just start with who we already know.... Subaku no Gaara... Mission history: C rank - 8, B rank - 1. Wow, a B rank mission as a genin," he hummed under his breath, slightly impressed. "He's a newcomer from a foreign country so I don't have a whole lot of information on him but it seems that he's returned from all his missions without even a scratch."

More than a few of the rookie nine gulped upon hearing this information. Not a scratch?! Not even from a B rank mission? And he's a genin?!

"As for that Hyuuga. He's about the same age as you correct?" Kabuto asked Sasuke, recieving a nod. "Right. Well then-"

"Hey! These things are pretty cool!" With a grin, Naruto swiped the cards out of his hands and poured chakra into a number of them. "Let's see... Hmm? Hey! It's bushy-brows!"

"NARUTO!" Sakura chided, embarrassment written on her face. "Give that back! It's rude to take something without asking!"

With her proverbial tail between her legs, Naruto gazed at her protectee with large, puppy eyes. "But I want to play with them! They're like trading cards! But cooler! See!" She held up a card. "Look look! This dude's from grass! He-" She cut herself off, staring at the card with wide eyes.

Leaning over her shoulders, Kiba let out a low whistle. "Damn. That dude's insane. Five A class missions?! As a genin?!"

Kabuto shook his head, walking past the frozen genin and gently pulled his nin info cards out of Naruto's hands. "People from all the hidden villages send their genin here. The best and the brightest. Leaf, Sand, Rain, Grass, Waterfall, Sound..." He furrowed his eyebrows. "There isn't much information on Hidden Sound since they're fairly new and a minor village but I can say that there are bound be monster powerhouses somewhere within this room."

Sakura let out a sigh. "Makes you lose your confidence a bit." She took a peek at her blond teammate only to find her shaking slightly with what seemed to be fear. Her eyes softened as she took in the sight of the usually overly confident and boisterous blond. It wasn't like Naruto to be so subdued. It felt... wrong. Taking a deep breath and pasting on a smile, she walked up to her teammate and lifted up her hand to pat his back in comfort. "Hey Naruto! Cheer up! We'll do-"

"OI! ALL YOU BASTARDS LISTEN UP!" Naruto shouted, shooting into action just as Sakura's hand was about to descend. "MY NAME'S UZUMAKI NARUTO! AND I'LL BE BEATING YOUR ASSES!"

The pink-haired genin felt her eye twitch. Her fist clenched and, a moment later, met Naruto's cranium with a resounding force. More than a few people winced in sympathy for the loud and obnoxious blond. 'And to think! I was about to comfort the idiot too!'

A little farther off, Sasuke watched the proceedings with amusement. He was confident in his abilities as well as in his teammates. They'd be able to get through this. Which was why he hadn't made a move to cheer up the blond. He knew she was more resiliant than that. However, seeing her stupidity bring about punishment from her oh-so-precious-Sakura-chan (not that he hated Sakura... At least... not anymore...) was more than just a bit satisfying. One might even say that it was his indirect reveng for all the names and humiliation she's made him suffer recently. He smirked.

Meanwhile, in the crowd, a team of sound nins viewed the group with ill conceiled contempt. "The hidden sound is a minor village? Is that so?"

"Let's play with them a little bit...."

"Heh. Good idea. Let the bastard add to his data that Hidden sound nin can be quite... viscious..."

With that they spurred into action.

Back with the group, Shikamaru stared at the idiotic blond with narrowed, disbelieving eyes. Sure he knew that she was stupid but... that stupid?! "'I'll be beating your asses'? Tch. Troublesome. You just made an enemy out of everyone in this room," he commented, sighing.

"I apologize for my teammate!" Sakura shouted to the glaring occupants of the room. "He's a bit of an idiot. Just joking... Ha ha ha....!" She scratched the back of head sheepishly, taking time every now and then to glare at the fallen form on the ground.

Kabuto let out a chuckle at their interactions. "Geez," he sighed. His eyes narrowed as his ears picked up quick movement. Moments later, a shinobi from the Hidden Sound shot up into the air with an insane grin. He moved just quickly enough to dodge the two kunais that were sent his way. His eyes widened and he jerked in shock as a face appeared, inches from his face. Sensing the swipe of the arm that was coming his way, he instinctively shifted his body backwards, managing to dodge it by the shave of his nose.

Sasuke smirked as he watched the proceedings. 'Good dodge.'

It came as a shock when, seconds later, Kabuto's glasses cracked and he fell to his knees, barfing.

"What the hell?! He dodge it! How?!"

"Kabuto-san! Are you alright?!"

The three Sound genins looked at them with contempt oozing out of their pores.

"Yeah... I'm fine."

Everyone looked at the Sound team in confusion. How had they... The three smirked simultaneously. "How pathetic. You're a four year veteran aren't you?" the leader of the three jeered mockingly. "Write this down in your precious little cards. 'The three hidden Sound ninjas: definite chuunin.'"

Naruto glared at them, anger pouring off her. "Why you little, slimy-"

A loud "BANG!" echoed throughout the room in a cloud of smoke, cutting her off. "What the-"

"QUIET DOWN YOU LITTLE WORTHLESS BASTARDS!" The smoke cleared away, revealing a hoard of chuunin and jounin standing in the front of the room confidently. "Morino Ibiki: the examiner for the Chuunin Exam's first test." The examinees looked at the group with wide eyes. "You Sound over there. Quit it! Wanna get disqualified before we even begin...?"

He gazed at them coolly. The sound team nodded their heads, acquitting to his demands.

"We understand. Sorry. It's our first time. We just got a little... excited."

Ibiki rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah. Don't pee in you pants. There is no fighting allowed unless you have permission from me. And even if you do, no killing is allowed. Disobey me and you'll be failed immediately. Now, line up in a single file. You'll be taking one of these tabs," here he held up one with the number one on it, "and will sit in their respective seats. We will then pass out your exams to you."

"Eh?!" Naruto yelped. "A PAPER EXAM?!"

Robotically, she followed the directions and ended up far away from her team members. So involved in her shock, she didn't notice Hinata until after Ibiki started to talk once more to explain directions. 'This is impossible for Naruto,' was the general consent of the Konoha rookies.

"Now, there are many important rules to this test. I'll write them on the board as I explain them so listen carefully. No questions are allowed. The first rule: You will have ten points to start with. Each question is worth a point. However, this test runs on a subtraction system. So, say you miss three questions, you would then lose thre points and will be left with 7 points."

In her seat, Naruto paid as much attention as possible, nodding her head in understanding. 'So all wrong will be zero points.'

"The second rule is that this is a team test. Whether or not you pass will depend on the team's combined points. Each tam will compete to see how many points they can hold from the intial team total of thirty."

Sakura's brows furrowed. "Wait a minute! Why's it a team test!?"

"Shut up!" Ibiki glared at her. "I said no questions! Now, the third rule is that if you are caught cheating, then you will be subracted two points for every time you're caught. Those who lose all their points will be asked to leave."

Sakura closed her eyes in an attempt to calm herself. 'Calm down... Even if Naruto doesn't get a point, as long as me and Sasuke-kun do well, we'll be fine.'

"And the final rule," Ibiki grinned maliciously, "is that those who lose their initial points and those who fail to get any points will be disqualified along with their two teammates."

All of team seven froze, unable to believe what they had just heard.

'... I'll kill her. If we fail because of her.... I'll choke her to death.'

'Naruto... You better make a goddamn point or else you'll never see the light of day! I'll use you as my freaking test dummy!'

'........ Fuck.'

A/N: so yeah..... There you go. A bit shorter than the last chapter despite the longer period of time it took me to write. I was going to add in the whole exam but I thought... Hey! I wanna end it on a cliffhanger before I leave for Korea! So yeah! Prolong the first exam as long as possible! XD JK. But I may end up leaving it on a cliffhanger. :P But yeah... It wasn't all that different from canon. It probably won't be differing from canon until the second exam... Seriously... things go totally differ there. Hint hint. lol.

Q: Will there be any Naruto pairings besides the SasufemNaru and the NaruSaku thing?

A: ... erm... As far as I'm aware... nothing that's mutual. They'd either all be in Sasuke's head, one sided or non-existant....

Q: Who did Naruto fall on?

A: Neji. She fell on Neji.

So there you go. Hopefully, since I've finally gotten on Summer vacation I'll be able to update more. So keep rooting for me okay? I may actually post long chapters every week until the 2nd if you do! (Note: Rooting means Reviewingto me... Though I really shouldn't be complaining.. you guys that do are great! :D)