Part 3: Adjusting to the truth

After Sakura had mostly calmed down, her and Sasuke walked to the bridge where team 7 usually met. But Sakura was still slightly upset and relied on Sasuke for comfort. He stood behind her in a hug, speaking to her softly.

"Sakura, I'm starting to worry about you. You've become far more distant and unpredictable lately. What is wrong with you?"

"…"

"Sakura?"

"You smell nice… like lavenders…"

"W-what…?"

"But still… not like I thought they would smell…"

"What are you talking about?"

Sakura finally smiled. She moved away from Sasuke and started acting like her usual self again.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it, Sasuke. It's just me being weird and babbling pointless babble!"

"All right… if you say you're okay."

Then, they heard Kakashi-sensei and Naruto come across the bridge and Sakura stepped even further away from Sasuke and lowered her head. When the two finally reached them, Naruto had this big, curious look on his face. He stared at Sasuke for a moment, until the other got flustered and looked away.

"What are you staring at me for?"

"Hmph. What were you and Sakura doing just now?"

"That's none of your business."

"It is TOO my business, so tell me!"

"Fat chance."

"Rrrrrrr!"

Naruto was waving an accusing finger at Sasuke and the boy was ignoring him. Sakura, though, was staring at this in silence.

'Is he… could Naruto be jealous of Sasuke…?'

"Naruto!"

Naruto flinched at the harsh sound of Kakashi's voice, and cowered next to him, trying to hide from his glare.

"What they were doing is in the past and it isn't your business, nor your right to pry into their personal lives."

"W-what! Personal lives? What does that mean?"

Kakashi turned back to the two.

"I'm glad to see that you two are starting to pull together as a team. Kissed and made up, did you?"

At this, Sasuke nearly fell over, Sakura exclaimed, and Naruto paled and went stiff for a moment. After he recovered, he was up in Kakashi's face, questioning his statement. When he received only a smirk from his sensei, he moved to Sakura with big, watery eyes.

"You two didn't kiss, did you! Sakura, tell me it isn't true! Tell me you didn't kiss Sasuke!"

Sakura gave a sympathetic look for an instant, but it then turned into a burning rage. A vein appeared on her head and she glared at Naruto. She yelled at him, making his small form wave around comically as she shouted.

"That is none of your business, Naruto, you nosy, dumb, … dummyhead!"

"Ow… my poor ears…!"

Naruto fell over as Sakura calmed down and Kakashi clapped his hands. Sakura, seeing Naruto whining, got angry again and got up in Sasuke's face, and said something that even surprised Kakashi.

"Sasuke, I want you to beat up Naruto for me!"

"What?"

Surprised as he was, Kakashi was also intrigued. He clapped his hands together again and got the attention of all three chunins. He then pointed at the boys.

"Why not we test the boy's skills? A survival match."

"A…survival match? What's that?"

"It's where two people go head to head and use their techniques to destroy the other ninja."

"D-destroy…!"

"It's a ninja term, done. It means you have to either put him in a position where he cannot attack you without getting eliminated, yourself; a draw, in other words. Or you could knock your opponent unconscious."

"Hmph. Mr. Smarty pants, Sasuke… thinks he knows everything…"

"Well boys? Are you up to the challenge?"

"Sounds interesting. I'm in."

"Yeah, me, too! I'll prove I'm just as good as Sasuke is!"

"Um, Kakashi-sensei…?"

Kakashi had the boys face eachother from a certain distance apart. He and Sakura waited a ways away- hopefully at a safe distance. Kakashi raised his hand into the air.

"Very well. Naruto, I want you to eliminate Sasuke."

"With pleasure!"

"And Sasuke, I want you to eliminate Naruto."

"Piece of cake."

"You are allowed to use any technique you wish, but don't kill your opponent."

The boys prepared and then Kakashi lowered his hand.

"Begin!"

Naruto was the first to run out onto the field. He charged at Sasuke with only his fists and tried to punch him. Sasuke leapt over Naruto's short head and got behind him. He took out his kunai knife and swiped at Naruto. The latter jumped back to avoid the blade. Before Naruto's feet were set firmly on the ground, Sasuke threw his kunai knife at him. It hit him, but then, in a flash of smoke, it was revealed as a log. Replacement jutsu. Sasuke hadn't enough time to react as he was soon surrounded and tackled by a dozen Naruto clones. But, they were weak and he threw them off. He slashed at each of them, and they vanished. The problem was, the original was nowhere to be seen. Sasuke wandered about, and under a tree. Standing upside-down on the branch was the real Naruto, getting ready to attack. He lunged down and attacked the other boy. He also turned into a log. The boys finally reappeared and were on opposite sides of the other, staring, waiting for an opening. Naruto finally took out his kunai knife, like Sasuke had his, and the two charged at eachother once again. This time, they each made several hits to the other. Some were cuts from the blade, and some were bruises from the back of it. Either way, no matter how hurt they were, both kept on fighting with vigor. Sakura finally turned to Kakashi, who was watching the fight closely and grabbed his sleeve.

"Sensei! You have to stop them right now! They'll get hurt!"
"That's the idea, isn't it?"

"But…"

"You wanted Sasuke to beat up Naruto, I want to see if he even can."

"But by allowing them to do this is just… it's just cruel…"

"Exactly. They're beating eachother up just like you're beating yourself up. It's no different. You say that this is pointless, and it's the same with what you're doing. Now, Sakura.. lets make a bet. Who do you think will best the other?"

"Um… probably Sasuke. He's stronger than Naruto."

"Watch it… strength isn't everything. Just watch the fight. It may turn out differently than you think…"

Sakura didn't reply. She just looked back to the brawl. Both seemed to be equally matched, until Naruto showed signs of tiring. He almost slipped and Sasuke saw his opening and took action. Quickly, he went at Naruto and punched him square in the stomach. The air was forced out of the boy's lungs and the force of the blow threw him back. Sakura gasped as she saw Naruto drop to the ground. He struggled to get up as Sasuke quickly prepared a fire jutsu. Kakashi's eyes widened. If the jutsu were to hit Naruto full on, it would be disastrous, but he was too late to stop it. Sasuke cast the jutsu, and it raced towards his opponent. The blonde stood horrified, as he faced the incoming flames. A little-known fact- Naruto was afraid of fire…

Though he was afraid, his mind kept reeling. He thought of his goals, and repeated them again and again in his head, slowly willing his body to move. He swore he would become the greatest Hokage someday; that he would be respected, and admired, but also, that he would definitely not lose to Sasuke at anything! Just before the fire reached him, he ducked and rolled out of the way, amazing all with his swiftness and agility. Naruto was back on his feet and running at Sasuke so quickly, he barely had tome to grab hold of his own Kunai knife before Naruto was in front of him with his own kunai. There was a moment of stillness and silence, and that was when Sasuke noticed the pressure of Naruto's kunai knife on his neck. Both the boy's breaths came in short gasps as they stood frozen in place. Seeing as Sasuke wasn't moving at all, Naruto smirked in triumph.

"I got you, Sasuke! I've finally beaten you- believe it!"

"Heh. Not quite. Open your eyes, dobe."
"Huh?"

It was then that Naruto noticed that Sasuke's kunai knife was firmly held against his stomach. Naruto was holding his breath and stayed perfectly still as Sasuke smirked in triumph that time.

"Better not move, or you'll lose something important, dobe!"

"Sasuke…"
"That's enough."

Kakashi broke the two up and they put their weapons away. Then… Kakashi clapped his hands loudly and smiled at the both of them.

"It's a tie. Well done, both of you! It was a good match, and… very educational for some of us, I hope!"

He looked back at Sakura, who was frozen in shock. She could not believe her eyes as she then saw the two rivals shaking hands and almost congratulating eachother. When, she thought. When had things gotten so mixed up? Sasuke was supposed to be the best. Her Naruto was supposed to lose miserably in comparison to Sasuke. Wait! When had she begun to… refer to him as HER Naruto…? When had things gotten so mixed up!