Afternoon, Tsunade's Office

Tsunade had her fingers steeped together in front of her face, elbows propped up on her desk with a stern gaze on her face directed at the girl in front of her. She had asked Shizune that she and the girl have a private talk and had set up privacy seals in the room to avoid any ears or instructions. The pinkette shifted uncomfortably in her seat under the intense scrutiny and uneasy silence before it was broken not a moment later.

"You know," began the calm, steady voice of the Hokage, "a very promising ninja came to talk to me about you, one from your class, in fact. He spoke of you in high regards."

He? Sakura thought with her face scrunched up in contemplation. Could it be Sasuke-Kun? No, he wasn't familiar with the Hokage to her knowledge, although, she wouldn't be surprised if he was.

"I bet you have already concluded it was your teammate?" the blonde asked with an eyebrow raised. She got a meek nod in response. "Hm." was all she said to acknowledge the girl.

"If I may ask Lady Tsunade," she began meekly. A grunt was her answer, "was it Sasuke who spoke to you about me?" she asked with a hint of hope, curiosity, and embarrassment in her voice. Whether it was because of who or why was none of Tsunade's concern. She leaned back in her chair, causing it to creak as she continued to steady her focus on the girl in front of her. She folded her hands in front of her face and asked with genuine curiosity "What made you come to that conclusion?"

A blush was her answer. She needed no more confirmation. "I'm quite disappointed," the elder woman said, leaning forward to her previous position. "He spoke so highly of you and all I see in front of me is a lovesick girl, unworthy of being a kunoichi."

Okay, so she was confused. Should she be happy Sasuke sung such high praises for her or ashamed at the blatant jab the Hokage had made towards her.

"I-I don't think I understand ma'am," she said honestly and with a hint of frustration in her voice. Tsunade grunted once again. How unladylike.

"Tell me, genin Haruno, how is it possible that Sasuke Uchiha, who was in the village, in a coma might I add, before my return, and who subsequently defected from the village was capable of conversing with me in such a manner that brought you in a positive light?" she asked the question with a steady voice as she laid all the pieces down in front of the girl for her to solve the problem, though her voice was laced with the slightest bit of annoyance.

Sakura reflexively blushed, abashed, as she had not thought about what the Hokage had pointed out as blatantly obvious. She clutched the hem of her dress as she fixed her gaze towards the ground. "I hadn't thought of that," she admitted, ashamed. Tsunade gave no response. Wait, if Sasuke-Kun hadn't put in a good word for her then that would mean...

"Naruto?" she asked, puzzled, as she raised her head to the Hokage. A forced smile and a painstakingly slow clap was her response.

"Good answer, genin. It only took you..." she gazed at the clock for a split second to see how much time had passed, "5 minutes," she said in a tone that mocked approval.

Sakura was quickly becoming frustrated with the lack of respect but restrained herself, opting to ask the question that was gnawing at her. "But why? Why Naruto? And what did he say?" Tsunade clicked her teeth.

"You are asking the wrong questions, genin. You should give yourself a self-evaluation and ask 'Why?' Why did my teammate who I verbally and physically abused on a regular basis speak so highly of me? Why did he attempt to put in a word with the Hokage to take me on as an apprentice? Wait," Tsunade paused with mock surprise, "I hadn't told you that," she said, shaking her head.

Now Sakura was beyond shocked. Her idiot teammate had attempted to put her in the good graces of the Hokage? How was he so familiar with her in the first place? Was he trying to get a date out of her? Some thanks? She wracked her brain for reasons why Naruto would show her kindness when Tsunade's words washed over her. Abused? I never...

"Ne, Sakura-chan you can sit-" the sound of a head slamming against wood was the response a blonde-haired boy got for his efforts to show kindness towards his crush.

"Naruto, move!" she growled, before shifting her countenance to that of a horrible attempt at seeming attractive to the object of her affections, "Sasuke may I sit here?" she asked with a blush on her cheeks. She earned silence as a response and plopped down, ignoring the fact the boy next to her was cradling his nose and wincing as he popped it back into place with a sickening crack.

"I promise it was an accident, Sakura!" a disgusted Naruto said as he grabbed at his throat and spit out the bile forming in his throat. He had been pushed into his rival by the boy behind him as he was in an intense staredown, causing him to teeter off-balance and the boys' lips to lock.

Sakura cracked her knuckles as she glared daggers at the boy and he began to feel his danger senses kick in, but he was paralyzed on the spot. He decided it was best to take the beating and suffer the unjustified wrath of his crush.

"You know... because he never had any parents...?" Sasuke asked in a low tone as he turned his head slightly to face his pink-haired teammate. The girl seemed pleased with herself when he said this and she continued to rant with her arms crossed.

"Exactly! He has no parents to tell him what to do. If my parents saw me acting the way he did, they'd yell at me and ground me for life! He's lucky he's all alone, I'd kill to not have my parents breathing down my neck! Aren't you envious of his loneliness?" She hadn't noticed the dark look Sasuke was giving her as she shook her head, continuing. "Kids with no families grow up so selfish!"

"And alone..." he growled out as he finished for her, not wanting his patience to be tested once more.

"Wha...?" was the pinkette's intelligent response.

"Do not dare compare his solitude to being scolded by parents. You..." Sakura gulped as Sasuke continued, wondering why he was so vehemently defending someone she thought they had a mutual distaste for, "...Make me sick!" he finished before walking off and leaving a shocked Sakura in his wake.

An influx of memories when she had dismissed or done harm to Naruto began to flood her mind. She felt nauseous at her actions and begun to slowly despise herself and her actions. Wait! This is how I felt before when I was in Sasuke-Kun's room! I was... thinking of how poorly I treated Naruto...

'Maybe I should try treating Naruto a little bit nicer...' Sakura thought as she sat on a bench in deep thought. She was broken from her musing by a string of curses and muttering coming from the boy of her thoughts. 'Better now than never,' she thought to herself, steeling her resolve and attempting to make good on her self-made promise.

"Naruto!" she said, calling for him to come over. Naruto narrowed her eyes at her as he gained an expression that signified he was looking for something. He then clutched at his stomach and doubled over in what looked like agony before dashing off.

'That idiot! And I try to be nice for once...' she sighed, 'Back to class, then.'

I didn't even try. She thought, putting her head in her palms. And what's worse is the Hokage knows how I've treated him, so she definitely won't do good on the offer anymore. She felt like tearing up. Once again, she had done harm to herself and her team. The gap that was widening would become so much larger than it already was, and she had nothing to prove she was willing to make improvements.

Tsunade suppressed the urge to scoff. She could feel the self-pity coming off from the girl and couldn't care less how she was feeling. "Raise your head, genin." Sakura's head snapped up so fast to attention Tsunade almost thought she would be healing a broken neck. "I intend to do good on my promise for Naruto and take you under my wing, regardless of your shortcomings." Sakura straightened and perked up at this. "However, I will warn you that this will be the most grueling training you have ever done, and I will be putting you through the wringer. Medical ninjutsu is no joke, and if it weren't for the reports by your instructor that your chakra control was near perfect, I would not have even glanced in your direction. I must ask, knowing all of this, are you still willing to become my apprentice?" Tsunade finished stating her claims with a firm gaze on the pinkette as she bore into her eyes to detect a hint of any unease, fear, or a waver in confidence, but all she was met with was a firm resolve and a fire that had not previously been burning in those emerald eyes.

"Yes, master!" Sakura declared, standing up and bowing rigidly, causing her to clumsily slam her forehead on the oak desk. She bit her lip and repressed a wince, even as she heard a snort from her new teacher.

"Very good. We will start in a week's time. Until then, I will give you various books that I want you to read through from start to finish in that allotted timeframe," Tsunade finished with a malicious grin. Sakura raised her head and nursed the growing lump on her forehead before giving another 'Yes, master' before she was dismissed.

My luck may not be good but the kid's luck at finding me two promising apprentices sure will do me some good. She thought with a smile as she remembered a certain bluenette.

Afternoon, Konoha Hospital

Hinata sneezed, causing her to fall off of Naruto's bandaged form as he was currently doing pushups and using her as extra weight. She squealed as her butt made contact with the cold hospital floor.

The blonde snickered as got up from his position, chanting '200!' He squatted in front of the Hyuga heiress and teased "Geez, Hinata, you would think with that jacket on you wouldn't get catch a cold." The mature response he got from the girl was a blush and a stuck-out tongue, causing him to do that same fox-like snicker.

He offered her a hand to get up and she gladly obliged. "Are you certain it's okay for you to be doing such strenuous exercises in your condition?" she asked in concern. She didn't want him putting any more strain than he had to on his body. She wasn't even sure how he was able to move in the state he was in, much less do any form of workout. In response, Naruto flexed his muscles and poked at his biceps.

"I'm mostly fine," he stated with a confident grin, "just a little stiff, but fine nonetheless." He rolled his shoulders to emphasize his point, causing the girl to shake her head in mock exasperation.

"Just don't overdo it," she said, placing a palm on his chest to show her concern. Naruto gave a reassuring smile and placed a hand on her head.

"You don't have to worry about me; I'm a future Hokage, after all!" he said with the utmost conviction. Hinata gave a soft smile back and the two became alert when they heard a tapping sound on the hospital window. They turned to see a spiky white-haired man with a wart and two red lines going down his tanned cheeks, starting from underneath his eyes. He was wearing a headband with horns and the kanji for oil on it and was standing atop an orange toad with blue spots on it.

"Pervy Sage?" Naruto asked in surprise, hopping over the bed and towards the window, ignoring the twitch of the man's eye, "What are you doing here?"

Pervy... Sage? Hinata thought curiously, as she looked on between the two who were clearly familiar with each other. The man looked like someone she had heard of before by description alone, however, she couldn't put her finger on it.

"That's Jiraiya the Toad Sage to you, brat!" he shouted, taking a swipe at Naruto's head, who ducked in response, laughing. "And I'm here to interrupt you and your girlfriend's alone time to tell you that I'm taking you on a training trip," he said with a sly grin at his statement before gaining a serious expression upon finishing.

Jiraiya? Of the Legendary 3 Ninja? Hinata thought in shock before his words registered. Girlfriend?! She thought with a blush, as she covered her burning cheeks with her hands. Naruto wouldn't think of her in such a manner.

"Shut up, you perverted geezer! I don't want you getting any ideas about Hinata-chan!" Naruto shouted indignantly, with a tint of red on his cheeks in frustration and embarrassment. Jiraiya let out a hearty laugh before continuing his teasing.

"Aha! You didn't deny it, brat! So she is your girlfriend!" he declared with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.

Naruto resisted the urge to pull out his hair in frustration. The pervert always knew how to get under his skin. He schooled his features, though, and gained a serious expression. "Wait, a training trip?" he asked in confusion. He then turned to Hinata, refusing to forget the little manners he had observed from other people throughout his childhood. "Oh yeah, Pervy Sage, this is Hinata-Hinata, Pervy Sage," he said, making hand gestures that alluded to introduction. Jiraiya gained a tick mark on the side of his head but otherwise acknowledged the room's other occupant, who bowed with practiced sophistication.

"Lord Jiraiya, it is an honor to meet you," she said politely. Naruto rolled his eyes as Jiraiya nudged him with his elbow. "See, brat? That's how you properly introduce yourself to a man of honor such as myself. You'd do well to learn from her while you-"

"Okay!" Naruto cut him off before he was able to finish his sentence. "So training trip? What's the big idea?" he asked, awaiting an answer. Jiraiya looked towards Hinata who was watching the two with amusement before she caught onto his look. "Naruto-Kun, I have to be home soon," she suddenly remembered. All of today came and went, and she was ordered to meet with the Hokage tomorrow. From the position of the sun, it was barely evening, nearing sunset.

Naruto turned to her and nodded. He hopped up and gave Hinata a tight embrace, wrapping his arms around her torso. She smiled and wrapped her arms around her neck as she heard him whisper 'Thank you'. Releasing each other from their holds, mouthed 'Anytime', and left the two males to discuss their private affairs, closing the door behind her.

Already a ladykiller, Jiraiya thought. I've taught you well, my bright young pupil! A chibi version of him was crying a waterfall of tears in his elation. He shook his head from his thoughts when the young genin focused his attention on him. "Naruto, as you're aware, there are very dangerous people after you," he began, his serious tone denoting that he needed Naruto's undivided attention. The boy sat on the hospital bed in a cross-legged position with his arms crossed and nodded his head.

"Akatsuki," he stated rather than questioned.

"Exactly," Jiraiya responded. "We're talking about S-Ranked criminals and higher. Just one of these shinobi is able to put a Hokage out of commission with ease." He paused to let the words sink in, but Naruto's demeanor had not changed. He grinned. "Now, according to various sources of mine, I've acquired information that tells me they're going to make their next big move approximately two and a half years from now, give or take three." Naruto let a single eyebrow rise up, but other than that, there was no response, so the Toad Sage continued. "Obviously, I can't gauge how strong you can become under my tutelage within that given timeframe. It is fully up to you how far you get in your training; it is your ambition and drive, your willingness to become a competent, no, an amazing shinobi." He paused for dramatic effect. "The path to Hokage is one with many twists and turns, jagged rocks and steep climbs―you get the gist." Naruto nodded and hopped onto the floor with conviction and determination burning in his eyes. His cerulean blue eyes hardened and his mouth twisted into a confident grin.

"Pervy Sage, you know me by now. I'm the one who told my cohort that there are no shortcuts to being Hokage!" He jabbed a finger towards himself for emphasis. "I'm not going to let you or anyone down! I don't care if I break my legs, I'll use my arms! If I break my arms, I'll use my head!" he declared. He made sure he got his point across as he set a firm gaze on the Toad Sage, who remained unmoving and stared at Naruto as if looking for something. Seeming appeased, the Sage grinned and clapped his hands.

"That's to be expected from my apprentice, brat. You'll have a day to rest up and then we'll hit the road!" he stated, causing the blonde to grin so widely it could outmatch the sun with its radiance. Setting his hands in the sign for a Body Flicker, he congratulated Naruto on successfully completing his mission, which only put the boy in an even better mood, before he and his summon disappeared in a cloud of smoke that dispersed as quickly as it formed.

Midnight, Unknown Location

A figure garbed in a high collared black robe with crimson clouds emerged from the ground similar to a growing flower. It seemed fitting considering the figure had venus flytrap-like protrusions coming out of its shoulders. On one of the said shoulders was the body of an unconscious boy with a blue high collared shirt, a red and white fan symbol on the back, and shaggy raven hair framing his face.

"You may give Sasori-dono my regards," came the snide yet pleased voice of Kabuto Yakushi. He was a young man who looked no older than 25 with straight silver hair tied into a ponytail. He wore circular dark-rimmed glasses that glinted even in the darkness, hiding his eyes and casting an eerie countenance.

"I'll see to it. Sasuke is an important asset, after all," came the distorted voice of the plant-like man. The flytrap was partially open, revealing two yellow, pupilless orbs that occupied two contrasting sides of the figure's face. One was black, the other white. He gave an unsettling grin that displayed a row of sharp, sharklike teeth. Gently laying the Uchiha down on the ground, he retreated in the same fashion he came, disappearing without a trace.

"Lord Orochimaru will be quite pleased," said Kabuto chuckling.

Outside of Konoha's Hospital, two ANBU guards that had been stationed outside of Sasuke Uchiha's room were lying still, bodies hunched over the windowsill and placed in a very painful position. Their masks clung to their faces despite the unfavorable position, and had they been alive, it would have been painful. It was this sight that a third ANBU who had been called to switch shifts came in on and they immediately made off to report the current predicament.

I had major writer's block so I'm sorry for the short chapter, but this provided me the ability to think of a segway into the next point of the story. I now have it all planned out and will do my best to make the uploads more frequent. `Til then, peace out.✌