A/N: Since I've seen many people wonder how Naruto learned to create Shadow Clones, he did it the same way he did it in canon. Sakura tutored him, true, but there was nothing that she could have done regarding clones. Mizuki still failed him with that as excuse.
"Me first! Me first!" Naruto exclaimed, a lovable goofball through and through. Her lips couldn't help but curl upwards because of his antics.
Kakashi swatted his hands away. "Ladies first." he chided the blond, handing her a piece of chakra induction paper.
The tips of Naruto's ears turned red. He hmphed and looked in the opposite direction. "Right. Of course, I knew that."
"Tch, dobe." Sasuke smirked with all the smugness of his younger self.
"Why you—"
As the boys of Team 7 argued, Sakura pushed a small, controlled wave of life energy into the paper, watching it become wet. Having known beforehand what her affinity is, the outcome didn't surprise her but for the sake of keeping up appearances, she faked a convincing reaction.
"Guys, look."
Sasuke arched an eyebrow while Naruto gave her a thumbs-up. "You have water! That's great Sakura-chan!" he paused, impatience radiating off him in waves. "Can I try now Kakashi-sensei?"
The jonin internally sighed then shoved one of the papers under his nose anyway. "Learn to be patient." The knucklehead reminded him too much of a certain redhead.
"Hai, hai." Naruto agreed before directing a volatile flux of chakra towards the paper, making it split in two. He rubbed the back of his neck in a sheepish manner. "Seems like I ruined it. My bad, sensei."
The pink-haired girl looked at him in disbelief. "Silly." she breathed, pocking his nose with her thumb. "You ruined nothing. True, you could have been a little more sensible with your approach..." she trailed off. "But it worked nevertheless. It split in half because you have wind as your element."
Kakashi backed her up with additional information. "Wind is the rarest affinity in The Land of Fire. Team Eight' sensei, Sarutobi Asuma, has it." he looked contemplative as he said it.
Sakura wondered if they were having similar thoughts running through their heads. I will have to bring up the subject later. The Konoha Twelve could benefit a great deal from being taught by more than one teacher.
"The Yondaime was renowned for it as well." she added, if only to ruffle Naruto's feathers a little bit.
Said blond got uncharacteristically afterwards. It was the calm before the storm, however, since moments later he attached himself to Kakashi-sensei's hip, much to the jonin's dismay. "You have to teach me how to master it." he pleaded.
A hand shot forward, grabbing him by the collar of his jumpsuit and yanking him backwards. "Just now he told you to be patient." Sasuke intoned.
"Are you jealous teme? Is that it?" Naruto nudged him in the arm and grinned, much like a Cheshire cat would.
He let out a dignified scoff. "As if." With a shove, the blond was out of his personal space in an instant. He hoped he'd stay out.
Sakura watched the interaction, suppressing a smile. "Your turn now Sasuke."
"I already know mine." he retorted.
Somehow, I doubt it. she thought.
"The Uchiha clan is known for their Fire jutsu. Sometimes chakra nature is genetic, but other times it isn't which is why we are doing this." Kakashi told him.
His eyes narrowed, sceptical, before he wordlessly completed the task. To his astonishment, the result wasn't the one he had expected. Instead of burning, the paper wrinkled.
"What does that mean?" Naruto was the first to break the silence.
"It means..." The Copy Ninja took the chakra paper from his student. "That Sasuke can use two elements. We already witnessed fire during The Bell Test. His affinity though, is lightning."
"Wait a second. Bastard here has not one, but two?" his eyebrows reached sky-rocket heights. "That's not fair! You said it yourself Kakashi-sensei. In general, shinobi can't handle more than one." Naruto protested.
Sensing his confusion and possibly envy, Sakura felt the need to interfere. "Prodigies are different. They have talent and potential in more areas." she acknowledged. "But hard work always has the final say."
She hadn't forgotten the amount of training she did, or the number of nights spent awake during her time as Tsunade-sama's pupil. When she wasn't off destroying parts of Konoha's forest or fighting invisible opponents, her mind was ambushed by the context of a dozen medical textbooks and that's leaving out the poison resistance she subjected her body to at the end of every week. Hard work had paid off. Her contribution in The Fourth Shinobi World War could attest to that.
Contribution that no one remembers but you.
Sakura's left eye twitched. Shut up Inner or I swear to Kami I will find a way to send YOU there.
It was just an observation. No wonder why guys don't like you.
We are the same person, idiot.
Not really. Had you left me in charge, at least once, you'd be knowing the difference.
Scramble. Now.
As Outer wishes.
Kakashi's voice broke through her musings. "Sakura is right, Naruto. Potential and certainty aren't the same thing. Without working on it, neither she, you or Sasuke will master anything."
The blond nodded, pumping up his fist. "You can count on us to work at it until we succeed." he titled his head to a side, curious about something. "Ne, Kakashi-sensei, what's yours?"
She joined in. "And please don't do a rehearsal of your introduction on the roof by not telling us anything relevant."
Kakashi's visible eye crinkled in amusement. "Did I traumatize you that hard?"
"YOU WISH." Naruto got in his face.
"No." Sasuke stuffed his hands inside his pockets.
And Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you tried."
Kakashi looked up at the sky, wishing he'd be anywhere but here. He was certain his comrades couldn't possibly have a harder time with their students than he did. "Kids these days. No respect for their old sensei."
"Hn, you are twenty-six. I don't hear the Hokage complaining." Sasuke said, while her and Naruto tried to stifle the laughter threatening to escape them. But only after they recovered from the great shock of hearing their emotionally repressed teammate make a joke.
"And we do respect you Kakashi-sensei." he paused. "We just don't fear your authority." Naruto added good naturedly.
She resisted the urge to facepalm. "What they were trying and failing to say, is that we loved you from the very beginning." Sakura smiled nervously, hoping to fix the mess they had just gotten themselves into. The boys didn't know Kakashi-sensei, not like she did. The man has had his name religiously written in every edition of the bingo book ever since his age reached a second digit for crying out loud.
It was decided. Kakashi mused. Sakura was officially his favourite student. He ought to humour the boys now and get back at them later. His reputation would suffer otherwise. He caught a chakra induction paper between two of his fingers. It wrinkled immediately. "Now that I satisfied your curious minds, it's time we got started on the practical side of today. "
"Wait." Sasuke glanced at him, fists clenched. "Naruto has wind while Sakura has water but we have the same chakra nature which makes it possible for me to learn lightning jutsu from you."
The pink-haired girl arched a teasing brow. "Who is the impatient one now?"
"Shut-up." The Uchiha heir snapped harshly.
Naruto's forehead creased into a frown and his usually clear blue eyes darkened in colour. "Hey, don't talk to her like that. I get you have a stick up your—"
She caught his wrist and shook her head 'no'. This brought back memories. In the past, Sasuke would always say something hurtful, whether intentional or not and Naruto would immediately jump to her defense. She didn't appreciate his meddling back then because she had been off in her own delusional bubble and while now she found his concern to be touching, Sakura doesn't want the blond to fight her battles.
Not again.
"It was a harmless joke, Sasuke. If you weren't trained to stand basic human interaction then I'm sorry but I won't tone down mine just to accommodate your feelings." she meet his eyes with a fierce look in her own. "Nobody will. That's not how the world works."
Sakura knew she had been slightly ruthless but she couldn't help it. Perhaps tearing down his comfort, revenge-oriented zone every now and then would open his eyes because Kami knew she won't give up on him without a fight.
We stick together. All of us. Never again will I burden Naruto with the promise of bringing you back, never again will Kakashi-sensei think of himself as a failure.
And never again will I let you turn your back on Konoha.
"I won't train any of you with that kind of attitude. Take the day off to clear your head." Kakashi spoke-up, voice neutral. This wasn't the team he had passed. "Tomorrow I expect you to act like the mature students I thought you to be." Having said that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
All three of them, Sakura included, looked down at their feet in shame. This wasn't going as she hoped it would and while the majority of the blame was Sasuke's no doubt, she wasn't a saint either. She had wanted to push his buttons if only to prove that she could, to prove she was no longer that naive hopeless girl who cared little about the shinobi lifestyle.
Unsurprisingly, Naruto was the first to break the silence.
"I'm not the brightest kid, Shodai knows but I'm clever enough to recognize disappointment when I see it. Even one as skilfully hidden as Kakashi-sensei's."
A hum of agreement escaped her. People didn't give him enough credit for emotional intelligence. "He failed each team he had been given prior ours. If he passed us, that means he saw something worth his time." Sakura rested her forehead onto the palm of her hand. "We proved him wrong today."
Sasuke didn't seem concerned though he was avoiding eye-contact. "He already accepted to be our teacher. By law, he has to train us."
Naruto cracked-up loudly. For a full minute, all he did was laugh and hold his stomach, attracting her confusion and their teammate's annoyance. When he finished, the blond wiped a tear away from his eye. "The man reads porn in public, arrives late to the point everyone in Konoha, Grandpa Hokage included, overlooks it, has worn a mask for so long that nobody knows what's underneath and graduated The Academy when he was five." he shook his head doubtfully. "I don't think the law applies to Kakashi-sensei."
Sasuke's eyes widened, slightly intrigued. Five? It couldn't be possible. It had taken Itachi two years to become genin. To think there was someone with that kind of record alive and within reach...
The pink-haired girl nodded. "Naruto is right. Considering all he got away with throughout the years...Refusing to teach us should be easy." She couldn't hide her surprise. "Where did you learn that?"
The Uzumaki troublemaker scratched the back of his neck. "You told me it's important to know your friends and your enemies. I did some digging. Since I'm invisible to most people, it wasn't hard for me to listen into their conversations. Kakashi-sensei is subject to lots of gossip."
"Tch, that's your source?" Sasuke ridiculed him.
Naruto didn't take it personally. He made a face. "Kami, no. I don't trust gossip. Most of it is crap..." here he paused and winced. "Sorry Sakura-chan."
She didn't correct him but urged him to keep going instead. "It's fine, go on."
He stood a little straighter. "Like I said, most of it can't be trusted. One person says a thing, somebody else says another. What they all agreed on, was what I told you. The rest was a bunch of...disturbing things." Naruto closed his eyes, willing such thoughts to dissolve. Like the rumour about him having killed one of his teammates for example. Sure, Kakashi-sensei was weird but that didn't make him a bad person. In fact, he had never felt closer to the man than he did in that moment. People talk and judge without knowing the truth. He refused to do to others what others had done to him.
For the first time, the changes she was little by little trying to make were starting to affect the past. Naruto's new and subtle approach was one of many to come, she hoped. "You paid attention." It felt satisfying, to know she'd play a bigger role in his development this time around. A role which had nothing to do with medical ninjutsu, for a change.
His eyes softened. "Of course I did. Tried my best, anyway." He couldn't lie. Not everything managed to stick like glue but what did, he tried not to forget.
"Hn, then we can't afford to play around anymore. If Kakashi is serious, so must we." Sasuke said, oddly reasonable.
"I knew you had it in you teme!" Naruto exclaimed with his trademark grin.
Sakura crossed her arms over her chest, hiding a victorious smile. "So, now it's we."
He glared at them. "Don't push it."
.
.
Since they had the rest of the day off, she figured she might as well buy herself a pair of combat gloves for her tortured knuckles and a pair of boots. The standard blue sandals were heavily impractical. If she hoped to run laps beside Lee, she had to be better equipped than that. The streets were crowded, as they usually were in the afternoon. Compared to her past self, now she easily noticed the mentally and emotionally scarred people. Ninja must hide their feelings well and be able to pick up on the ones of others.
Sakura stopped in front of The Yamanaka flower shop and though she had no idea what compelled her to go inside, she did. Different smells of different flowers hit her nostrils, making her feel strangely at ease.
"Are you just gonna stand there and stare all day Forehead? It's rude manners." Ino watched her with blue, calculated eyes before they narrowed upon taking a closer look. "You look awful. What happened?"
"I was lost in my thoughts. Don't take it personally Ino." she replied, dodging the second question.
The blonde flipped her hair. "I never do." she proudly stated, resting her chin into the palms of her hands. "Not that I particularly care but what's gotten you looking even worse than usual?" she pressed the issue. She was usually much subtler than this but all things considered, they were off ninja duty now.
Sakura hadn't gazed into a mirror since early morning. Judging by the state of her attire and considering what a day it had been, emotionally draining at best, she couldn't blame her childhood friend for asking. "Training, my team." The burden of saving the future. she thought but didn't say.
"I know what you mean. Shikamaru is lazy and refuses to do any training, unless it involves playing shogi. He already beat Asuma-sensei so, there isn't much that he can improve." Ino sighed. And if anyone pointed out how she had sounded more admirative than annoyed, she'd fiercely deny it. "Chouji tries but only after he eats my weight in chips and gets bribed with BBQ."
A small smile creased her face. It felt good, to catch-up with someone like her. She took a seat. "At least you don't fight all day. That's all we do."
Ino snorted in disbelief. "It makes you wonder what was The Hokage thinking when he arranged the teams. Though I'd take the boys any day over Kiba with his overbearance and Shino with his bugs." there was a pause. "Hold on, what do you mean 'fight'?"
Sakura related to that feeling. No matter how difficult it got or the things they went through, she couldn't have wished for a better team. As dysfunctional as they were, she wouldn't trade that for ordinary. The best shinobi never were. "Naruto and Sasuke have their rivalry while the latter can't handle the thought of relying on somebody else rather than himself." If she sounded bitter, she didn't notice.
Her childhood friend did, though.
"You really don't like Sasuke-kun anymore, do you?"
"I didn't say that." she argued.
Ino arched an elegant eyebrow. "You might as well have because that's how it looks like from the outside. You don't argue with a boy you like Sakura. Not until you get together, at least."
"Can I have these?" she gestured to some bright yellow flowers.
Her eye twitched. "I give you love advice yet you are more concerned about what I sell?"
Sakura rolled her eyes. "This is a flower shop Ino."
The blonde threw her a dirty look before nodding along. "You can take them. Anything else?"
"Does your family grow poisonous plants?" The question was merely a formality since her future self had bought her stack from here.
Ino's eyes widened. "They do. Most shinobi in the village come here for them but this is the first time a genin requests that." she paused. "What are you thinking, Sakura?" she shook her head. "Never mind, don't tell me. We don't grow the poisonous ones here and since people order a few weeks prior, it will take some time until I can get my hands on them. Do you want something in particular?"
"Just Lily of The Valley Shrub. How long will I have to wait?"
Her lips formed a smirk. "Not long if I go straight to my dad. I will pass by your house when I have them."
The pink-haired girl gave her a brilliant smile. "I don't know how to thank you, Ino." she admitted sincerely. "For what is worth, I'm sorry again for ruining our friendship."
"I know. Don't go ruining my mascara too now." she warned her as she prepared the rest of the flowers, the non-poisonous ones. She gave her a perplexed glance. "What do you need those for?"
She shrugged. "Mom will like them."
Ino smiled. "You don't have to pay for those then. Tell your parents I said hello."
Realization dawned on her earlier that day and Sakura cursed her ignorance. She should have known better. Something that hope-inspiring, something so powerful such as time travel couldn't come without consequences.
She was starting to forget. Having sudden gaps in her memory was a frightening notion. It got her alarmed. How much will be erased? How important will the missing information prove itself to be? There were too many questions and hardly any answers. It was enough to drive the calmest of people mad. The only thing she had was an echo of a missing piece from the puzzle that was her mind. Something should have been there but it wasn't, not anymore. Common sense told Sakura to get a grip and analyse the situation. Freaking out wouldn't do her any good.
The brain, much like a muscle, was in constant development. Until one reached adulthood, the brain constantly changed and shifted and though its capacity to retain information was impressive, no twelve-year-old brain could handle the sudden flux of information brought by a seventeen-year-old.
The two had to merge at some point. In an attempt to make more room, erasing came as a natural process. What it got rid of and what it chose to keep were not up to Sakura, unfortunately. Granted how humans, shinobi most of all, were set on survival from an evolutionary point of view, she wouldn't put it past her twelve-year-old conscience not to erase memories directly tied to one trauma or another. The brain erases to protect itself but in this case, it'd do her situation more harm than good. She had to remember. Everything. Regardless of how unpleasant or disturbing.
Survival also meant skills, survival meant not forgetting what Tsunade-sama taught her. From that point of view, Sakura felt relieved. Compared to how general amnesia would have operated, time travel was a little more tactful. Her knowledge as medic-nin and warrior were safe. It was no small consolation but the prospect of losing something that could help her better stand as shield between her boys and harm's way was difficult to accept.
Sakura had made a vow and she intended to honour it. Even if that meant writing all that she knew inside scrolls. If she had relevant information written down, forgetting wouldn't matter. She'd read and remember. Again, and again. For how many times it was needed. She would have to ask Lee for help tomorrow. If there was anyone who had an arsenal of scrolls at her disposal, that was Tenten. She could always buy but she didn't want more than two capable scrolls. It'd be impractical to have many with less space inside. Where would she hide them all? That, and if Naruto taught her anything, that was the importance of bonds. Bonds meant strength, bonds were a bright light when you were at your weakest. If she hoped to change the future, Sakura knew she couldn't do it alone. She had to unite The Konoha 12 in more than just name.
Her morning run helped put things into perspective and helped her keep a clear head throughout the day. Lee, regardless of his eccentric tendencies and the occasional speech about the power of youth was actually a calming presence. Kami knew she needed that in her life, especially now as she and the boys were walking on egg shells with Kakashi-sensei. Not that she could blame him for taking measures. This time around, just how dysfunctional she, Naruto and Sasuke were, had been jarringly obvious.
To a lesser trained eye, what the jonin was displaying would have seemed nothing but disinterest. Sakura begged to differ. Kakashi was the prime example of somebody who understood the power of deception early on in life. He didn't infuriate people with his aloofness and laidback attitude just for the sake of it. In nature, less conspicuous animals had an easier time killing their prey. A tiger was a threat no matter how badly observant you were so, the chances of lowering your guard around one were slim to none. What of butterflies? What of snakes that hid themselves well enough that you never saw them coming? They'd catch you and kill you before you even realized there was any danger to begin with.
They could have learned a lot from him in the timeline she came from, Sakura reasoned, if only they had been more willing to pay attention. The best ninja never revealed the tricks they had up their sleeve. She stole a glance at Naruto, boldness and brightness put together and shook her head. Though exceptions do exist.
"We continue what we started yesterday." he announced as they stood still, behaving for once. "Generally speaking, fire is strong against wind but weak against water. Wind is strong against lightning and lightning is strong against earth but water is weak against earth."
Naruto narrowed his eyebrows. "Following that logic, Sasuke and I have the same chances of defeating each other while Sakura-chan would win against teme since water beats fire any day."
"Yes and no. Under normal circumstances, that'd be correct. The rank of the jutsu you use can make a difference. A B-ranked fire jutsu would naturally overpower the C-ranked water one even if the law of elements states the opposite. If, however, both jutsu are of B level, nature will speak." Kakashi explained, waiting for more questions. It was important that they understood how ninjutsu worked now. Team 7, traditionally, had always been formed for combat.
"But what about wind and water? Or lightning and water?" Naruto asked, genuinely intrigued.
"That'd be counterproductive. A fight between you and Sakura based solely on ninjutsu wouldn't have an outcome while a fight between her and I would be dangerous at best and heavily damaging at worst."
The blond looked confused, eyebrows pinched together as he pondered why that was. Sasuke spoke up, slightly perplexed. Did nobody teach the dobe what would happen if water and electricity made contact? "Sakura and Kakashi would suffer equally. Water is a conductor for energy and lightning chakra is energy in its rawest form. They'd have major burns afterwards." He refrained from saying that higher level techniques of that sort also carried the possibility of death.
The pink-haired girl couldn't help but feel proud. Perhaps today won't end in disaster. "It's true." she acknowledged. "Ideally, it'd make for a formidable combination. Most teams never reach that level though."
"We can be the greatest team ever and not risk dying by our own hand! I still have to become Hokage, Kakashi-sensei has to watch me succeed since I promised during The Bell Test and I never go back on my word." Team Seven's goofball argued passionately, a vehement tilt of his lips present. "Also, I'd make Sakura-chan's dream come true as well as help teme over here with that revenge of his. I don't get it, but I don't think I need to." He closed his eyes, wrapping his palms against the back of his neck, a lot more at ease than earlier.
If Kakashi eye-smiled affectionately, her eyes watered a bit and Sasuke's usual scowl became slightly less menacing, Naruto never noticed.
"I have one more question. If two jutsu users have the same element and can't use a second one, wouldn't a ninjutsu fight be pointless? I mean, they'd cancel each other out, right?"
Had she known Kakashi-sensei any less, she wouldn't have sworn that he was at his best when teaching his favourite ninja art. "There is a catch here too. If one jutsu is of more advanced rank, it will absorb the weaker one completely."
Naruto's eyes instantly brightened. There was mischief in them, the kind they held after his brain had cooked up yet another reckless idea. Sakura wasn't too thrilled by what that could mean. "The next wind user to cross my path will eat dust believe it!"
"Tch, you hardly know the first thing about chakra manipulation."
"Oh yeah, as if you know more."
Sasuke's expression said that he did, Naruto' spoke of barely repressed frustration while Sakura was glad they weren't at each other's throats yet. Suddenly, she got a bright plan of her own. It was at least half as cunning as Naruto's and judging by the aura the jonin was emanating, the time traveller figured she'd do them a favour if she was the one to deliver divine punishment and not him. Sakura chose the closest tree to where they were standing, focused, then climbed it with the chakra control she used to be so known for.
"Boys, I'm starting to believe you are getting left behind in terms of skills." Kakashi-sensei taunted them, on the outside seemingly bored. On the inside, however, he praised his pink-haired student. Ever since he witnessed the force of her chakra infused punch, he suspected tree climbing and water walking would be easiest for Sakura.
When she climbed down to meet a frozen Naruto and a visibly stunned Sasuke, she shook her head. "Chakra control requires finesse and patience. Things you two don't have right now..."
Before she could have finished her sentence, the two ran ahead and did the predictable thing. They tried climbing only to fail. Naruto fell in a heap at the bottom of the tree while Sasuke's fall, albeit a lot more graceful, was still a fall whichever way you chose to look at it, thus damaging to his pride.
The Uzumaki troublemaker laughed. "Gah, you made it look so easy Sakura-chan." He exclaimed, feeling dizzy from standing upside down. He got back on his feet relatively quickly though.
The Last Uchiha untangled a leaf from his hair, indignant as he stood up from the ground. "What did we do wrong Kakashi?"
The man hummed noncommittally. "I fear Sakura-chan here has even better chakra control than I do, Sasuke. Perhaps if you ask more nicely, she'd agree to tell you..." he trailed off, bemused, eyes glued to his infamous book. "Either way, I'm not teaching you anything more advanced until you master tree climbing." and learn to be less of an arrogant prick. He thought, wondering whether history was bound to repeat itself. Kakashi had been Sasuke once, personality wise Naruto was a carbon copy of Obito, while Sakura wasTeam Seven's glue that kept it all together, much like Rin had been.
Several failed attempts later made it clear for Naruto that he wouldn't get far unless he tried a different approach. "Ne, ne Sakura-chan, how come you didn't teach me this when you tutored me?"
"You weren't ready back then." she retorted.
"Okay, fair enough but I'm ready now so, could you please..." he elbowed Sasuke in the ribs. While no audible sound echoed, it was clear it hurt, if the glare he directed towards the blond was any indication. "Teme, don't be a stubborn jerk. Just admit we are hopeless." he paused. "Well, you are. I know how to ask nicely at least."
Said boy looked like he was seriously starting to consider strangling his teammate. The pinkette rubbed her temples and sought out Kakashi's authoritative figure only to discover that he was nowhere in sight. He left her to handle it. God, this isn't what she had in mind when she had wanted him to recognize her worth.
A/N: Hello there! I'm back with another chapter and though I don't feel very proud about this one, here it is. I'm shook! So much positive feedback for a story that gets updated this rarely. Aw guys, you are making me feel bad. I have no medical degree but it just seemed logical and interesting for Sakura's memory to suffer the consequences of time travel. Team Seven still has a long way to go and while Sasuke isn't his future self, we can't overlook the fact that he had been difficult as a genin too. Understandable considering his traumatic past. The fact that in my story he is a bit moodier than in canon is because of Sakura. Think about it, in the original, he knew he was prodigy of the year which meant he had surpassed all kids of his generation. He didn't think highly of his teammates. Only as Naruto got stronger and stronger, he realized he might be weaker than he thought. The same thing happens now with Sakura. In some ways, she is stronger than him. He knows that and though it's a disturbing notion to him now, he'd grow to accept it. I have tried to think like Sasuke. Since he hopes to defeat Itachi, he must be the strongest of the strong because who else would be able to stop the man who killed an entire clan at such a young age? If he is weaker than Naruto and Sakura who he knows are weaker than Itachi, then he doesn't stand a chance. Frankly, he can't bear that possibility. Kakashi is also a lot wearier of his cute little genin this time around. As for Sakura, well, she is fighting demons of her own.
PoppyxHatake: Hi! Omg, thank you for writing me such a long review and being so invested in my story. I'm glad you liked it and I hope this time I did not disappoint. Ah, yes, Shikamaru will play a big role. Why? Because I like him and Sakura knows having him on her side would be a win. Ino, I honestly didn't know how to write her when I first began writing. I didn't want to steer too far away from canon but the way I see it, fanfiction gives us the chance to offer depth to characters that Kishimoto overlooked. Scratch that. I like doing so with all characters because they are, in some ways, up for interpretation which gives a lot of freedom to both reader and writer. Naruto's crush on Sakura still exists, yes, though it's less childish now. As for Sakura herself, all she knows is that saving the future is a priority. Not to say that this story won't have pairings at all but their development will be gradual. Thank you for complimenting my English!
AnimeEverywhere: Hello! Firstly, thank you for taking the time to write this, it matters a lot. I also wish to thank you for the fact that you kept reading even though you felt depressed and sad while doing so. It's true, when I wrote the first chapter, I wanted people to feel Sakura's sadness and regrets as strongly as if they were their own. I have read that a good writer is one that gets an emotional reaction from readers. I suppose the chapters that followed picked-up on that vibe and I have, without realizing, formed a style. I'm happy you liked it though and yes, Sakura has vowed to protect her team, just like they had protected her. Now, she is indeed closer to Naruto than to Sasuke but that's because some part off her can't shake the knowledge that she used to be weak and naive once. (She didn't forget the things he had done either) She wants to protect both of them though! Thank you once again for the kind words.