Sakura frowned at the words Iruka had written that morning on the blackboard. The majority of the board had been taken up by his congratulations at their having become fully-fledged shinobi, together with a number of warnings about the various official duties they would have to undertake from now on. Besides it, smaller in size and at a side, was a list of the cells to which the graduating students of their class had been assigned, and of which none but Team Seven remained.
Sighing, she sunk her chin into her hand and looked at the nearly empty classroom around her, lamenting her choice to not bring anything to read.
The other two members of her team didn't seem to be faring any better than she was. Naruto, for all of the buzzing excitement he had displayed before, looked restless and fidgety as he paced at the front of the class. The calmness Sasuke seemed want to portray was betrayed by the knit in his brows and the tense way in which he held his shoulders; both the only things that so much as gave a hint about what the dark-haired boy was really thinking.
The sight, so jarringly different from Shisui's more casual behaviour, was enough to distract her away from Naruto's agitated pacing. It was rather surprising to see just how different her now-teammate was from his cousin. The older shinobi tended to portray cheer and openness most of the time, whilst Sasuke seemed to be all silence and stares. He was considerably more secretive, though Sakura'd be lying if she said that she hadn't wondered whether Shisui's light-hearted visage concealed something dourer and sullener. It had been hard not to; not with the way in which every now and again his eyes would look glazed and distant.
Naruto, who was still pacing at the front of the class, suddenly huffed indignantly. "Why are we the only cell whose teacher hasn't shown up yet?" he exclaimed. "All the others have gone off with their teacher. Even master Iruka has gone!"
The blond boy's whole demeanour shifted as soon as he had finished speaking. Turning around abruptly, he walked towards the teacher's desk. Grabbing a board eraser, he began to drag a chair towards the closed door. He stepped on it with a grin, and board eraser in hand, he began to open the door.
Though she shook her head, Sakura felt the corners of her lips quirk up at Naruto's actions.
Sasuke's eyes shot up. "Hey! What are you up to, Naruto?" he asked.
Naruto laughed. "It's what he gets for making us wait." He frowned in concentration and wedged the board eraser between the door and the wall. Grinning, he stepped down from the chair and quickly dragged it back to its place before sitting back down. "There!" he exclaimed.
Sasuke snorted. "There is no way that a superior shinobi could get caught in such a simple—."
The door, as if summoned by her now-teammate's words, opened. Startled, Sakura watched on as the board eraser fell cleanly on the head of the man that entered. Naruto immediately cackled with laughter, whilst Sasuke's face contorted into what looked like a scowl.
The Jounin—a silver-haired man in standard gear and with a mask covering half of his face—crinkled his single visible eye shut and made a show of brushing his chin, as if in thought. "Hmm, how could I put this—?"
Grimacing, Sakura braced for the man's following words. It didn't look good.
o-o-o
It really hadn't been, Sakura mused the following day.
They had failed the test that the Jounin—Kakashi— had given them on account of their more than lacking teamwork, only to surprisingly pass it afterwards.
It had been a hectic exercise, one which had highlighted just how dysfunctional they had all been as a team. Naruto, despite his enthusiasm, had had to do too much by himself, and Sasuke had been too determined to work alone on account of his goals. She hadn't been much better, though, especially considering that she had failed to both suggest and participate in any teamwork whatsoever.
At least the atmosphere between them had improved now that they were officially Genin.
Sakura looked up at her teammates as they walked through the third training ground. They were an odd combination, and she had to admit that she wasn't entirely sure why it had been the three of them that had been put together, rather than with anyone else.
There had to be a reason, right? Particularly given the total lack of teamwork they had demonstrated.
The thought made her frown. She had a lot of things to do. She now could access more advanced scrolls at the library, and she would finally be able to ask the head of the hospital if it would be possible to train in medical ninjutsu.
I'll also have to get better clothes to wear when training, she thought, glancing at her red qipao dress. It had gotten snagged on more than a few branches during the training, and she couldn't imagine that'd be good should it happen in the field. What mum gave me is good, but it doesn't seem like it's too—.
Sakura came to a stop as she very nearly crashed into Naruto. As her eyes darted up, she saw the expectant faces of her teammates and buildings—not trees—behind them.
She blinked. When did we get out of the third training ground?
"So, Sakura, what do you say?" Naruto asked with a grin, seemingly unaware of the frown their third teammate was wearing.
"I'm sorry, I think I was a bit distracted. What were you—?"
The blond's grin widened. "Why, a team dinner, of course! It's only right!" he explained excitedly. "What do you say?"
"Ah," Sakura said. She frowned slightly as she thought it over. Her mother had told her to return as soon as possible once her training was done, but it wasn't a bad idea. They were her team, after all. Smiling, she looked back up at Naruto and nodded. "I'd love to."
The blond boy's eyes brightened. Not five minutes later the three of them were at a restaurant called Ichiraku Ramen which Naruto, independently of anything Sasuke or herself had suggested, had insisted on. It was a nice place, open and warm, and, judging by the kind smile of the owner, a place which Naruto frequented quite a lot.
"So, what do you think we'll have to do tomorrow?" Sakura asked, once their noodles had been served.
Naruto looked up from his bowl. "A cool mission, right? Maybe we'll get to save a princess or fight some criminals! Maybe even…"
Sakura pursed her lips. "Those sound like A-rank missions, don't they? I doubt we'll be doing anything but D-rank missions for a while."
Naruto wilted. "That's not fair!" he said, moaning in complaint. Then, "what are D-rank missions, anyways?"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Weren't you listening at the academy?" he asked, giving Naruto a pointed look. "As Genin the most we will get to aspire to are D-rank. Maybe C-rank missions, if we get lucky. Things like baby-sitting or running errands."
"What? Why?" Naruto asked, gesturing widely. His face wrinkled in disgust. "Those are a complete waste of time!"
Sasuke only shrugged in response. Sakura looked down at her noodles, silently agreeing with Naruto's sentiment. The only benefit of D-rank missions that she could foresee was in learning how to work together better, though they'd still get to train together, at the very least.
She put down her chopsticks and looked at her teammates. Perhaps…?
The owner of the restaurant, who had been standing to a side, suddenly straightened his back and bowed at a customer in greeting. At her side, Sasuke twisted his neck to look over his shoulder, as if he had been expecting too see someone. Following his gaze, Sakura turned around, only to see the now-familiar figure that was Shisui standing behind Sasuke.
His voice was cheery. "You must be my little cousin's Genin team."
"Shisui," Sasuke deadpanned. He frowned slightly, looking unimpressed. "What are you doing here?"
Shisui smiled as he leaned against the side of the restaurant. "I just wanted to congratulate you and your team's successful passing, little cousin," he said with a smile, sounding altogether too innocent. Unprompted, he reached forwards and ruffled Sasuke's hair before he could so much as move away. "Congratulations, Sasuke. All of our training finally paid off, didn't it?"
Naruto laughed. Amazed, Sakura couldn't help but look on as Sasuke sputtered and glared at his cousin before quickly recomposing himself. Despite his reaction, it didn't take him long to relax. He was clearly used to Shisui's presence.
It was a far cry to how he had looked when they had been waiting in the classroom.
"Congratulations to you too, Sakura," Shisui said. "Funny that you two ended up being in a team together."
Sakura smiled and turned to face the older shinobi. A niggling of pride blossomed in her chest at the compliment. "Thank you," she said, altogether too aware of Sasuke's downright suspicious glare.
Naruto looked incredulously between them. "Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm Shisui," the older shinobi said with a smile. "Sasuke's older cousin."
Naruto glanced at Sasuke, whose expression hadn't changed, before turning back and offering a wide grin. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki."
"It's a pleasure," Shisui said, nodding, before pushing himself off the side of Ichiraku Ramen. "I'll be counting on you two to keep my little cousin safe, then. My apologies for interrupting your meal."
Naruto laughed and elbowed Sasuke, earning a glower from the more stoic boy. Smiling, Sakura looked on as Shisui turned to leave.
Minutes later, once the three of them had finished the ramen and were alone again, her dark-haired teammate finally turned to address her directly.
"Sakura," Sasuke said, looking at her warily, "just how do you know my cousin?
"I met him at the Senju Park some months ago, after classes at the academy had finished," Sakura explained. She smiled softly at the memory. "He recommended me some chakra exercises."
o-o-o
Sakura frowned as she jumped from tree branch to tree branch a few metres behind her team. They were almost back at Konoha. It's walls—far, but not too far off—were plainly visible even amidst the thick forest. They were a wonderful sight, far sweeter than anything she could have imagined after the month they had spent at the Land of Waves.
The mission had been different from anything she could have imagined. It hadn't taken long for the pride she had felt at the idea of finally being able to put her combat skills and elementary medical ninjutsu into use to fade. It had morphed and changed as the mission had taken shape, revealing just how terrifying the battlefield against Zabuza and Haku had been.
She didn't think she'd ever be able to forget the bone-chilling dread she had felt whilst facing someone which far outclassed her teammates and her, which would have undoubtedly killed them hadn't they managed to work together. Neither would she be able to forget the sheer relief she had felt at the knowledge that, much like Kakashi had told them, her teammates were the only real thing that they could rely on out there. That, even if they fought, at the end of the day they were a solid unit.
That hadn't been the end of it, though. There had also been the surprising, unimaginable potential her two teammates had displayed at things she didn't think she'd ever be able to excel at. She didn't have the chakra reserves to even attempt a lot of the ninjutsu Naruto and Sasuke had used, not to mention Sasuke's and Kakashi's sharingan.
Sakura clenched her fists. Just how bad, she thought, would things have been if I hadn't started to train beforehand?
A sudden exclamation broke her train of thought. Her posture tensed as her eyes darted to her teammates. Up ahead, Kakashi glanced back only briefly, visibly unconcerned.
"Hey, bastard," Naruto exclaimed. She couldn't see his face, but his tone of voice gave away the wide grin on his lips. "I bet you can't get to Konoha before I can!"
Sasuke snorted. "As if, idiot."
"What did you say?" Naruto shouted back. His posture tensed as he readied himself for a quicker pace. "You'll be eating my dust!"
Before long her two teammates had dashed forwards, racing towards the soon-to-be looming gates. Sakura shook her head, not quite managing to stop the smile that grew at the sight. Slowly, she felt herself relax, thoughts easing away from her earlier darker ones.
It hadn't all been so bad in the end. They had survived, after all, hadn't they? What was more, so had she, and not just by standing around.
Mind made up, she increased the stream of chakra to her feet and dashed forwards. Her hair fluttered in the wind as she chased after her teammates, almost feeling like she had wings.
She could still reach them.
o-o-o
"This may surprise you," Kakashi calmly explained, "but I've recommended all three of you for the Chunin selection exam." He offered them the three forms he had been carrying in his hands. "You have to fill out applications."
Naruto darted forwards and took the paper. Grinning victoriously, he raised the application form into the air and looked it over, as if expecting it to disappear. Huffing at the blonde's antics, Sasuke shook his head and took his own form. It was only when he glanced at her that Sakura finally pushed herself off the railing she had been leaning against. Straightening her posture, she stepped forwards and took her own form, feeling slightly dazed.
"If any of you don't wish to compete, the exam is entirely voluntary, the choice is yours" Kakashi explained. Slouching forwards, he hid his hands within his pockets. "You don't need to turn in those application forms unless you want to. If you do, report to Room 301 at the school by four in the afternoon tomorrow."
Tomorrow? Sakura thought disbelievingly.
The Jounin glanced at them through his half-lidded eye, visibly unconcerned as he observed their reactions. Swiftly, he made a single seal. "That is all!" he said, flickering away.
Sakura found herself looking up and staring at the empty space in reverie. "The Chunin selection exams," she muttered. She looked up at the sky. "Can we really participate in them?"
Her words spurred Naruto into action. "Of course we can!" he exclaimed. He began to walk towards them energetically, holding the edges of his form tightly. "Just think about it, Sakura. The Chunin selection exams!"
Sasuke hummed noncommittally.
She found herself smiling at the blonde's excitement. "It wasn't so long ago that we became Genin," she mused. "I thought we wouldn't be able to enter for at least another six months."
"No way! It's about time we got to participate. No one will be able to beat us," Naruto proclaimed. He turned to look at Sasuke. "You said your cousin was already a Chunin at our age, right?"
Sasuke nodded curtly. "I'm not sure about when he became a Chunin exactly, but probably. He was as strong as—." He cut himself off and frowned. A cold gleam surfaced in his eyes, but it was gone before Sakura could pay too much attention to it. "I can guarantee that he was a Genin at five, at least," he said quietly.
Sakura's eyes widened. Five?
"See? We'll be Chunin before we know it," Naruto said eagerly. His grin widened. "I bet there'll be a lot of tough competition, like—," he said, looking away, "or—," he quickly added, turning to glare at Sasuke.
Sasuke scoffed. Turning away, he smirked with anticipation. "Hah."
Sakura looked back at her application form. Perhaps they could really do it, even if they had graduated relatively recently. Kakashi must have been confident in their skills if he was recommending their participation in the exams, at any rate, and the three of them had all trained as much as they could since they had become a team.
She couldn't miss this chance, no matter how difficult the exams turned out to be.
Smiling, she looked at her two teammates. "We should meet here tomorrow, before the exam," she suggested. "That way we can all go together."
Naruto beamed. "Of course!" he declared. Besides him, Sasuke grunted in agreement. "Hey, now that I think about it," he said, looking at the spot Kakashi had been standing at with a strange, pensive expression, "will Kakashi be training us at all today? We were waiting here for ages."
"I can't imagine he will," Sakura answered. Sasuke frowned, seemingly unhappy with the thought. "He probably wants us to prepare for tomorrow."
It didn't take long for Naruto to protest loudly. Silently agreeing with him, Sakura looked up at the sky. It was blue and cloudless, and the sun was shining brightly. It was a shame they didn't have a mission to complete or any training to do as a team, but at least it'd mean more time practicing at the hospital with Kumadori and Hosho.
"I think I will go to the hospital now. Maybe I can start training with Kumadori earlier than usual," Sakura said, moments later. She smiled. "I'll see you here tomorrow, right?"
Naruto grinned again. "Of course, Sakura! Right, Sasuke?" he said, elbowing their third teammate.
"Stop doing that, idiot!"
Sakura's smile widened. Nodding, she turned around and began to make her way to the hospital she had gotten so used to frequenting lately.
The sky was pink and orange by the time she returned home, sunset looming large over the western sky. Feeling satisfied after what had been a productive day of training, first at the hospital and later on her own, Sakura opened the front door. Quickly directing herself to the bathroom, she washed the dirt and sweat off her body before going to her room to pack for the coming day.
It didn't take too long to decide on what to take: her medical kit—originally a gift from Kumadori from after she had started to learn medical ninjutsu, a few bottled poisons, her kunai, and her shuriken. Having gathered her things, she sorted them out into her pouches and then turned to prepare her clothes; the dark standard trousers she had taken to wearing lately, her elbow-length shirt, and her black sandals.
Her home's front door opened with a loud creak. "Sakura are you home?" her mother asked.
"I'm in my room," she answered.
Her mother walked up to Sakura's room, sounding enthusiastic. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get back home, Sakura. I was shopping at the market and time simply flew by. Our neighbour's going to be expecting a—."
Sakura frowned at her mother's sudden silence. "Has something happened?"
She turned to look at her when she didn't answer. Her mother was looking at her silently, brows furrowed as she took note of everything she had been laying out atop her bed. A heavy feeling settled in her stomach as she recognised her mother's silence for what it likely was.
"Mum?" she asked. "Are you alright?"
"Why are you packing so many things into your pouches, Sakura?" Mebuki asked stiltedly. "Do you have another long mission tomorrow?"
Smiling nervously, Sakura sat back down on her bed. She hated having these conversations. "It's for the Chunin exams," she explained. "Kakashi told us we could participate."
"Chunin exams?" Mebuki echoed. She shook her head. "Isn't it still too early? You've all only just graduated. What if something were to happen?" She stepped into her room and kneeled in front of her- "Are you sure you can do it, Sakura? You know how strong those two teammates of yours are. Your father was far older when he became a Chunin."
Sakura turned to look to an old photograph of her dad which sat atop her nightstand, besides one of her team. Breathing in, she willed herself to explain the situation as best as she could. "Kakashi said that—."
Mebuki ignored her. "You don't need to force yourself to do something like this if you don't want to, sweetie." She smiled weakly. "You can tell your teacher that you would rather take the exams in a year or two, if that's when you are ready."
Sakura narrowed her eyes. Pressing her lips together, she stood up and shook her mother's hand off her shoulder. She always acted this way. "Mum, I know what I am getting myself into," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "You know I've been training a lot, and if Kakashi gave us the application forms he must think we're ready."
"I know. I'm sorry, Sakura, but it's just so dangerous." Mebuki took a deep breath and stood back up, looking resigned. "You're not even an adult yet."
Sakura looked away. "I want to take the exam with my team. I can't disappoint them," she said. Swallowing her nervousness away, she forced herself to meet her mother's eyes. "You can't take this away from me."
Mebuki gave another long-resigned sigh. "If you're sure it's what you want to do, Sakura," she said, sounding defeated. "I'll be making dinner now, though it won't be ready for a while."
Sakura tried to ignore the guilt she felt at the sight of her mother dejectedly leaving the room. Turning to look at the equipment she had lined up, she thought back to her team, whom she had gotten used so to spending time with. To Shisui, who still gave her pointers on certain techniques whenever they happened to run into each other at the Senju park.
Slowly, a sense of determination replaced the guilt her mother's reaction had made her feel. She'd just have to do as best as she could in the selection exams. The only way her mother would understand how wrong she was would be if she showed her what she was capable of achieving.
Looking down, she resumed her preparations for the coming morning.
A/N: First of all, thanks for reading this story. It was wonderful to see that people enjoyed the first chapter enough to favourite, follow, and review the story. Edits aside, I originally wrote it a few years ago, so I wasn't sure what to expect.
Whilst I realise that I could take the early plot slower, I decided to leave the original drafting of the story in this regard unchanged to try to avoid getting bogged down in details (else I'll never manage to finish this story). The next chapter is already written, it just needs to be edited, so it should be up in three weeks.