Make Believe
Chapter three
By evil mittens

Thousands of razor-sharp needles fell from the sky. Sakura quickly coated herself with a protective shield as the needles bounced off of it. It has only been a few minutes since she has started and already, she picked up a few scratches and burns.

'I won't last long at this rate,' she sneaked a glace at the copycat ninja sitting near by. 'What would Kakashi do?'

"DO WHAT HE'S DOING RIGHT NOW! READ THAT PERVERTED BOOK OF HIS!" screamed Inner Sakura.

"Your chakra will drain quickly if you keep on dong that," Tsunade said, almost lazily.

An idea popped into Sakura's mind just then. 'That's what she thinks.'

Sakura bounced off a tree branch and landed on the next while undertaking rapid hand seals.

Something wet landed on the back of Tsunade's neck. A few more landed and melted quickly as they hit her skin. She looked up into the sky only to find millions of fluffy, yet powdery substance falling from the darken sky.

'Snow?' Tsunade shook her blonde head. 'An obvious and simple genjutsu.' The mastermind, herself had seemed to disappear from the crime of the scene. 'She'll have to do better than this to become an ANBU.'

"Kai," Tsunade quickly cancelled the snowy genjutus, only to find herself surrounded by floating Sakura petals.

Tsunade arched one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows. An interesting jutsu to hide one's self, and Sakura was succeeding. Tsunade could not place where Sakura was. Her chakra was scattered in all directions and it was hard to detect where the real Sakura was.

The wind was fiercely blowing, but Tsunade did not notice until it nearly knocked her down.

'What the…?'

The Sakura petals seem to be dancing with the wind now, a strange, yet enchanting dance. Tsunade's eyes widen in surprise. Another genjutsu? She swiftly performed the seals to cancel it.

"Kai!" She shouted, but nothing happened.

A soft voice drifted out and surrounded her; she looked around repeatedly, but could find no one.

"Two."

The wind changed again, sending not nearly enough power as last time. The petals continued to dance their strange, little dance, but something was different.

Their dance was more exotic, fiercer. They were inviting her to dance with them.

'Then dance,' a voice commanded in her head. 'Dance!'

"Dance," she murmured out loud. She felt like she was floating in air. Tsunade never felt something like that before. Soft petals brushed against her, making her feel warm and secure.

Something warm dripped down her leg, making her stop. Blood! It was her blood.

Tsunade snapped out of her daydream only to find herself standing close to a cliff. Her arms and legs were coved in loud, angry cuts.

'The petals! …A trick to distract her!'

She waved angrily at the softly falling petals, pushing them out of her face.

"Three."

Tsunade's head snapped up, the wind was picking up again. 'What type of jutsu was this?'

The petals were no longer falling; they weren't even dancing any more. They started to swarm her like crazy hornets. Tsunade couldn't see a single thing, and she most certainly did not see that fist coming.

Sakura's fist collided with Tsunade's jaw, leaving Tsunade with a coppery taste in her mouth. Tsunade staggered to get up.

"What the hell?" She mumbled, wiping her bloody mouth clean.

Tsunade's eyes shot open at the sounds of birds. The buzzing was not normal and the birds were singing differently; it was almost like a nice, peaceful melody.

Sakura stood a few feets in front of her with a pink, glowing ball of chakra in her hand. Before Tsunade could blink, Sakura appeared at her side. The pink haired kunoichi slammed the perfectly mould ball of chakra at the tree where Tsunade had landed. The chakra ball had missed her, but it nibbled a bit of her skin. The skin around her left shoulder ripped.

Tsunade winced at the added pain.

Sakura stepped back, "I don't think the people of Konoha will be happy if I killed their Hokage. That'll only mean that Naruto will be the new Hokage; and everyone knows that dunce isn't exactly ready yet."

Tsunade held her glowing hand to her freshly made wound. The blood stopped spewing out, but it was still very bloody.

"Here," Sakura took out a rag and picked up Kakashi's canteen of water.

"Hey! That's mine!" protested Kakashi.

Sakura ignored the lazy ninja and poured some water on the cloth. She handed the damp cloth to Tsunade. Tsunade nodded a quick thanks and wiped up the gory mess.

"Those were pretty amazing jutsus," Tsunade said while wrapping her shoulder with a long cloth bandage.

Sakura blushed, "I picked them up and kind of altered them."

Tsunade smiled at the young kunoichi, "Beautiful, yet dangerous. It suits you well. Now tell me all about it as we go back up to my office to celebrate."

"Celebrate?" Sakura's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.

Tsunade ignored her question, "Once we get back, we'll get you your tattoo and you can paint your mask."

Sakura broke into a beautiful smile, "I passed?"

"Yes, now come on, let's get some sake with that as well."

The trio walked through the open doors of Tsunade's office. The office itself had magically transferred from a garbage dump to a, well… office. Shizune stood proudly behind the fifth Hokage's desk.

"Tsunade-sam—"Shizune stopped abruptly at the sight in front of her.

"Shizune!"

"Hai, Tsunade-sama"

"Bring back the all the bottles of sake you can hold!"

"But Tsunade-sama! This is no time to get drunk, you have a lot of paperwork to do."

"No buts go this instance."

Sakura laughed shakily, "Tsunade-sama, we don't need sake to celebrate."

Tsunade looked at Sakura solemnly, "Ever holiday or occasion needs sake, or what's the point of celebrating?

"Yes, well… we can always celebrate differently! We can—"

Kakashi cut her off, and looked at Tsunade seriously, "You celebrate every holiday? Even Spring Equinox Day? Isn't that disgraceful?

Tsunade threw a meaningful glare at Kakashi, "You know what I meant."

"Actually, no I don't"

"Do you want me to show you?" Tsunade's eyes brightened as she cracked her knuckles.

"Y— Oww!"

"Excuse him, Tsunade-sama. He knew what you meant, he was just joking around. Sakura gave a small smile, "Sake will be fine, but I'm not a big drinker."

"We know who is," mumbled the injured Kakashi.

Sakura added another bruise onto Kakashi's leg. Tsunade raised her eyebrows, "What was that Kakashi?"

"Nothing, I just said, neither am I."

"Really? I thought you said something different."

Shizune looked at the arguing pair and laughed nervously, "I'll go get those sakes now, the usual brand?"

"Yes, yes of course. As well, inform Naruto and the others about the party." Tsunade turned her attention away from Shizune and focused on Sakura. "We'll go get that tattoo of yours and your mask."

Sakura gave Tsunade a small bow of courtesy, "Thank you Tsunade-sama."

"Come; that paint takes a bit of time to dry."

"Hai."

"MORE SAKE!"

Kiba poured more sake into the drunk blonde's glass; missing the cup completely a few times.

Naruto laughed loudly and quickly poured all the sake down his throat. "Tsunade-Obaaaaaaaaasan! Not gonna faint now, are you?"

"Bakaaa! You can't hold up your own liquor!" Tsunade snarled, standing up quickly. Unfortunately the liquor was catching up to her. She took a plunge, smashing her face against the table.

Naruto laughed again, and drowned the whole bottle of sake in less than a second. "You're the one to talk!"

Tsunade sloppily got up, "I'm the Legendary Drinker! I never get drunk!"

Naruto roared, "More like Legendary SUCKER!"

The Godaime's eyes blazed, sending a sake bottle at the laughing blonde's head. Luckily for Naruto, a not-so-drunk Kakashi caught the bottle before it came crashing down on Naruto's head.

Naruto looked up, "You wanna take this outside? Huh? HUH?"

"Actually, I do!"

"I'm going to kick your sorry ass!" Naruto got up wobbly, tripping under his own feet. The very drunk shinobi came crashing down onto the floor; the crowd just watched him fall, hitting headfirst.

"Ouch, he's gonna feel that tomorrow."

"Yeah, he's going to have a major headache…"

"Hey, where's Hinata?"

A murmur went throughout the crowd, while a certain silent Hokage sat on the floor next to Naruto's head. Tsunade poked the fallen blonde's head, and started to laugh uncontrollably. Everyone turned and looked at her.

"I—win!"

"…" Dozens of eyes stared at her, like she was a crazy maniac.

Shizune looked at the laughing Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama, I think it's time we go."

"Nonsense Shizune! It's Sakura's ANBU celebration party! The party just started!"

Tsunade's apprentice gave her a look, "We've been partying for three hours now, and you have a lot of work to catch up."

"Shizune, you're such a party pooper! Alright, alright, let's go."

The brunette medic extended her arm and pulled up the drunken Tsunade. Tsunade got up unsteadily, and ended up crashing into Shizune.

"PARTY'S OVEEEER!" Tsunade yelled, while failing another attempt to get up. Groans were heard throughout the room, as tired and drunken Konoha shinobis filed out of the room.

Tsunade looked down at the unconscious Naruto, "What should we do with him?"

Shizune quickly cast a glance at him, "I'll give him a hangover drink, and he'll be fine."

"No, just leave him this way," Tsunade's eyes lit up, "He called me a sucker, he deserves it."

"But Tsunade-sama, he's going to have a big hangover tomorrow."

"Good, let's bring him back to his place and wait until Hinata finds him." Tsunade laughed evilly, thinking of what the sweet Byakugan user would do to him when she finds him.

"But Tsunade-sa—"

"Don't Tsunade-sama me, let's go."

"Hai…"

Sakura had left the party long before. She had only had one drink and refused all the other offers offered to her. She carefully snuck out before one of her friends could see her. She was going to leave before that, but Kakashi caught her and yelled out very loudly that she was escaping. Her friends dragged her back, surrounding her with chatter. Kakashi, seeing that everyone was occupied, had slipped out unnoticed and ran for it.

She wasn't very into drinking parties. Her best friend on the other hand, loves them. 'Naruto probably passed out on the floor again, Hinata won't be happy."

Sakura remembered when they were just a genin. Naruto would secretly take Jiraiya's sake bottles and spread the wealth between his friends. Sakura never drunk much, but Naruto and Kiba on the other hand were always the first to pass out. Hinata wasn't dating Naruto yet, and she was still her old, timid self.

Sakura on the other hand, always had to drag Naruto back to his house after the long night of booze. She would come by in the morning to unpleasantly watch Naruto wretch into the toilet bowl and later scolding at him. Naruto never seem to learn his lesson, and history repeats itself over and over again.

Sakura shook her head; 'He's Hinata's responsibility now.' She felt pity for her friend.

She walked down the dusty, familiar path to her old hideout. 'It's been long.'

She pushed off from the ground and landed gracefully on the old growth tree branch. Sakura sat down and stared out towards the distance. From her view, she could overlook the whole village. A few feets next to her, a waterfall roared. She sighed and swung her legs, a beautiful night for star glazing.

Her hand brushed against the rough bark, stopping at the jagged markings engraved into the tree. She turned her head and stared at them.

"Sakura and Sasuke Forever," read Sakura.

She snorted, looking at her childish carvings. "Nothing but puppy love. It's not like he ever cared."

The young woman took out a kunai and scratched out the names. 'Nothing is forever.'

When Sakura was finally satisfied, she put her kunai back in her kunai pouch. "How stupid I must have been. Following him like a sick puppy."

She sighed and jumped off the branch, 'But he could have been nicer about it…'

Sakura stared at the monument of the past Hokages. 'Naruto's face is going to be up there soon. How time flies.'

The village of Konoha was her home. 'If a bastard like Sasuke is going to betray it, there's no point on loving someone like that.'

She pulled out her ANBU mask. She painted it like a cat, a cat with the same green eyes like her. 'Better than what Kakashi-senpai suggested.' Sakura shuddered, 'A boar.' He had some nerves to call her a boar. Although, he was not directly calling her that, he was indirectly implying it.

He's been making fun of her the whole day, "I'm gonna kill him."

"I knew you were weird, but do you usually talk to yourself?"

Speak of the devil. Kakashi walked over to his ex-pupil, "So, whom are you going to kill?"

Sakura ignored him, "A boar huh? Do I look like a boar to you? Are you calling me fat?"

Kakashi eyes crinkled, "Maybe not a boar, more like a pig! Your pink hair, your temper; pig is more like it."

"Pigs doesn't do anything but eat and sleep! That's more like you!"

"Pig."

Sakura screamed in frustration, "Do you enjoy annoying me on purpose? Don't you have something better to do?"

"No, Jiraiya just gave me all the books up-to-date this morning."

"So read them and stop annoying me!"

"I've finished them all and I like annoying you."

Sakura looked at him quizzically, "You finished all of them? How many did he give you? We've been gone for three years…"

"Nine."

"You finished all nine in one day?"

"Yup, they're getting better. They're getting more realistic. In the fifth book, the guy and the girl th—"

Sakura quickly covered her ears, "Don't tell me!"

"But you asked."

"I asked you if you finished nine in one day! I never asked ABOUT the books! What are you doing here anyways?"

"I came to find you," he said simply. Sakura gave him a weird look. "You have a long day for you tomorrow," He continued. "You won't want to get killed on your first day."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Great, sounds like fun."

"I also have some news for you."

"Oh?"

"I'm going back to ANBU." He rubbed his head thoughtfully, "I don't think I can handle another bunch of crazy kids like you."

"Hey!"

"Teaching is a lot of work, I'm not cut out for it. ANBU is more slack, I can read more on missions."

"What! ANBU is a life or death situation!"

Kakashi turned his back away from Sakura, "Hurry, you have to go home and rest. You'll get killed tomorrow and I'll laugh at you."

'He's definitely gone psycho.'

Sakura gave the sleeping village one last look and ran to catch up with the tall shinobi. Kakashi suddenly placed his hand on Sakura's head affectionately. "You've grown up and became a strong pig."

A/N: Wow! I never wrote a chapter so fast. Sorry for not the long delay, but I just finished school and exams. As well, you're probably wondering when Sasuke is going to come in… Sasuke is probably going to appear in a few chapters. Probably 2 more chapters before he comes in. Since it's summer, I'll try my best to write more, so don't worry about me dying. I made up Sakura's moves, so they're not that great. I know chakra is suppose to be blue… but she did say she altered it didn't she:) Thank you for all the reviews! You guys are great!

RyuNanashi, Mad-killer-bunnies-alert, Mina, Dagorwen of Ithilien, Arandomreader, Waterfox96: Thanks for the reviews! Sorry for the long wait!

Kira-924: I'm glad you're happy! I hope this chapter makes you happy too! Wait 2 more chapters, and Sasuke will be here!

Seirei-flower: Wow! Thank you for that long review! I loved it! I liked the orange part too; it just suddenly popped into my head so I wrote it down. Sakura and Kakashi are good friends; I'm saving Sakura for Sasuke. :P I thought Ino and Shikamaru would be kinda weird together, but reading some fanfics they kinda grew on me. Sasuke isn't a leaf-nin anymore. He's a missing-nin, but Sakura will see him again. Yup, this is SakuSasu! Sorry for taking so long to get this up! hugs thank you again for the review! You're Filipino? That's cool, I'm Canadian. :)

Cocoa-latte: thank you for being a great beta