Possibilities Chapter 2

Training and a Warning

Author's Note - kneels and bows very deeply I am sooooooo sorry. I know it has taken me forever to update but I hit a really bad writer's block! But now I'm on a roll once again and shall update more frequently! I know Neji will be out of character, but I decided to make him show his big brother side more to Sakura since I plan on them having some kind of relationship.

Sakura was leaning against the railing of the bridge at team 7's usual meeting spot. As usual, she was the first one there, shortly followed by her stoic new teammate. Neji was currently laying against the railing of the bridge right next to Sakura, his eyes closed. Usually if they were the first two there, the tension between them was so think that you slice it with a knife.

However, today was strange, there was absolutely no tension between the two, and they were just peacefully enjoying each other's company. Now, this partly because Sakura was two busy brooding over two things:

Why she decided that she would let her sensei AND Naruto train her for the upcoming Jounin exam.

How Tsunade ever tricked her into doing so.

And three, that strange chakra's that she had sensed in the trees the previous day.

Neji seemed to have noticed that something was troubling the girl, with his

Byakugan, he could see that she was extremely distracted and uneasy about something. Usually he wouldn't bother with a woman's problem they were usually troublesome damn, I'm spending too much time with Shikamaru. But for some strange reason, he was curious as to way his female partner was so anxious.

"So, is the fact that Naruto is going to be telling us what to do bothering you, or is it something else?" Neji asked quite simply, not even moving a muscle. Sakura was so shocked that he even spoke to her, that she nearly fell over the railing.

"Uh…how'd…" Neji simply pointed to his eyes, which were still closed.

"I already know, so there's no point in denying it,"

"I wasn't going to…"

"Besides, its not healthy for someone to keep stuff that bothers them locked up," Sakura never knew that such kind words could ever come from Neji's mouth, nevertheless towards her.

"Heh, I guess your right," she smiled down at the water at the idea that she and Neji might actually come to some level ground.

"So are you going to tell me, or are you just going to stare at your reflection until the pervert and the baka get here?" Sakura scowled a minute, and let out a sigh.

"I've just been thinking about what Tsunade-sama said to me yesterday,"

"But, what she said about Sasuke is what's mainly bothering you, right," Sakura continued to stare into the water, a sad smile on her pretty face.

"Yea, you've won the grand prize," her comment was sadder, than sarcastic. Neji stood up and imitated Sakura's position right next to her.

"You know," Neji began softly, "its okay to not be prepared all the time. Sometimes, the unexpected just happens, and of course we aren't going to be ready. We just have to know how to compose ourselves to be ready for what the rest of the situation will unfold for us," Sakura was laughing to herself, because she never expected that Neji Hyuuga would be comforting her on such a matter.

"I know, but, maybe I'm just not cut out to be a Jounin. I don't think I'd ever be able to handle those kinds of situations,"

"You won't know whether you're cut out to be a Jounin unless you take the exam. If you fail miserably, then you know you probably weren't meant to move on. But, if you passed, then that means that you are strong enough to take on the responsibilities of that title. Plus, if you die on a mission, then it was obvious that you were never meant to be a Jounin," Sakura sweat-dropped.

"Thanks," she said gloomily.

"Maybe you do have what it takes to be a Jounin," Sakura stared at Neji in absolute surprise.

"Wh…what do you mean?" he looked back at her, and even granted her a small smile.

"Well, I'm sure you were never prepared for me to be this nice to you, but look, you haven't freaked out or broken down, or anything like that! You've been able to handle this completely unexpected surprise quite well in fact!"

Sakura just couldn't believe what she heard. Not only had Neji smiled at her, he had comforted her, and even complimented her. She had never known that Neji was capable of such compassion, but she figured it was like a big brother instinct from taking care of Hinata all the time.

Neji was lucky enough to see one of Sakura's rare, genuine smiles, and to be honest, he had never seen a prettier smile on anyone before.

Before either of them knew what happened, a blur of dark green and blonde had rushed over and pushed Neji over the bridge, and into the water. It took Sakura a moment to register that he had fallen off the bridge.

"Neji-san! Are you…" she began to giggle uncontrollably. In the shallow water was Neji, laying on his back, glaring up at what dragged him down, which just happened to be Naruto? He was sitting like a dog, glowering over Neji.

"Hey, what do you think you were doing with Sakura-chan?" Sakura was just about rolling over with laughter.

"What are you talking about?" Neji asked, failing at his attempt to mask his annoyance.

"I swear if I see any funny business with you, I'm going to tear your insides out!" Neji just sweat-dropped.

"Naruto, its okay!" Sakura called down, once she had gotten control of herself. "We were just talking! Aren't you happy that Neji and I are finally getting along better than before?" Naruto pouted, and jumped back up onto the bridge.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, did you see my-"but before Naruto could finish, Neji had jumped up and landed right on Naruto.

"Eh, Neji-san," Sakura mumbled, "Naruto…looks like he's in a lot of pain," Neji just looked down, lazily at the unconscious Naruto.

"Oops," he said sarcastically, "I must've mistaken the baka for a tree stump," Sakura just burst out laughing. It wasn't everyday that Neji Hyuuga was able to make a joke.

"Eh-hem," Kakashi cleared his throat, "I think that it's about time we start," Neji just walked off of Naruto like he was walking on a carpet.

They were all sitting in a circle on the grass, and Kakashi cleared his throat to signal that they were about to start.

"Okay, here is how the training is going to work: Naruto is going to get Sakura started on her Taijutsu and stamina training, while I help Neji improve more on his Genjutsu, and even teach him some new Ninjutsu moves," Neji scowled, he never liked being told when he was lacking in something, "Everyday, after about three hours of training with us, Sakura is going to assist Neji in identifying and creating Genjutsu, whereas Neji while be helping Sakura on her Taijutsu. Is that clear with everyone?" the three teens nodded, and stood up.

Kakashi and Neji ran off into another part of the woods and Naruto smiled at his female companion.

"Ready to go, Sakura-chan?" Sakura smiled at her best friend, he was so innocent and happy, just like the Sun.

"Just don't go easy on me Naruto-chan," She got her answer immediately when Naruto swung a punch her way, she dodged just in time, but just barely missed it by a hair. She came back with a roundhouse kick to his ribs. She hit the mark, but he didn't go flying like she expected. Naruto grabbed her foot, and swung her straight into a tree. As she slid down the tree, she clutched her head in pain.

"Sorry Sakura-chan, but I said that I wouldn't go easy on you," Naruto extended his hand, grinning apologetically. She gratefully accepted his hand, and stood up.

"You've got great form Sakura-chan! But unfortunately, you've got little force behind that hit," Naruto commented. Sakura nodded. She knew she would definitely need practice in that.

"This might help you put some more power in your attacks. You're a master at chakra control, so you know what it feels like to transfer chakra to parts of your body right?" Sakura nodded, and couldn't help but blush a bit from the compliment. "Well, instead of moving chakra to your hands and feet, think of moving energy to them instead. And time it so that when you hit your target, you are emitting the force from that energy, so that they fly 100 FEET AWAY!" Naruto raised his fist in the air with his trademark fox grin on. Sakura laughed, even when training Naruto always put her at ease. "Okay Sakura-chan! Come at me again, and remember what I told you!"

"Yes sensei!" Sakura jumped up and took the few precious seconds she had, while Naruto rushed at her, to focus on getting as much power to her punch as possible. Naruto was closing in fast and his fist was just a few inches away from her face when in a split second she turned to the side avoiding his attack and punched him right in the cheek. A terrible crack sound was heard as her fist came into contact with his face, and Naruto went flying back 7 feet away.

Sakura just stood there, staring at her knuckles which were red from the unfamiliar feel of a real punch (a.n – I'm not being mean, just keep in mind Sakura still is only an average ninja when it comes to physical fighting). Naruto didn't go quite as far as Sakura would have liked, but this was definitely a start. A sudden groan brought Sakura's attention back to her wounded friend.

"Uuugh…oh, man," Naruto was finally coming back, the fall plus the sudden punch knocked him out, but just as quickly bolted straight up with that ridiculous grin on his face and his thumbs-up, "NICE HIT SAKURA-CHAN!" "NARUTO! YOU'RE BLEEDING!" It was as if they both reverted back to their 12 year old selves, seeing blood for the first time from a fight. Sakura rushed over to him and was trying to clean him up while in the moment of excitement Naruto was flailing his arms around like he was trying to get a bug off his arm.

"Some things just never change, huh?" Sakura asked Naruto smiling broadly when they both calmed down. Naruto pulled his best friend into a half hug and said, "and soon enough, everything will be back to the way it always should have been," Sakura just nodded. She wanted Sasuke to come back so badly, but she didn't want Naruto to go get him on his own. If one of them had to die from the others' hands then she wanted all three of them to die together, like a team, Team 7.

In a denser, darker part of the forest outside of the city two figures stood staring towards the main road.

"She's going to be participating in the up-coming Jounin exams you know," the female voice spoke.

"But of course, why should you care? I mean, they are all just apart of the past that was holding you back from your real potential right?" the male voice said sarcastically. A whizzing sound was heard and the pair caught the kunai aimed for the other, instead of them.

The girl stepped forward and threw the kunai to the ground and spoke, "Just so you know, the both of us will be entering as well, and we will make sure that YOU do not interfere," with that, she walked away towards Konoha.

The boy stepped forward too, and threw his kunai down so the two made an X, "We are advising you not to go for YOUR own safety, I'm sure there are people there that would do much worse things to you that either of us could. Besides, she's my sister and I love and trust her judgment, so I bid you farewell, and pray we do not meet again," he too turned away and followed after his sibling.