Thanks so much for favorites, follows, and reviews! *beam*

I was so surprised to see so many readers that enjoy this version of a story! It made me very happy! xD

Warning: unbeta. English is my second. ASL is my first. I'm Deaf. *peace*

I don't own NARUTO.

Enjoy~ :D

Location: Konohagakure no Sato

Training Field Ten

Time: Five A.M.

The sky was gray as it changed to soothing lavender and brilliant amber. The colors merged into neon pink and peach. It's the sign of the upcoming of a beautiful sunrise. The birds were chirping and enjoying the cool breeze. The dew drops were falling from the leaves of the plants. The grass was wet due to the dew drops. The three small figures arrived at the location, Sakura dragged her feet across the ground while rubbed her drowsy eyes as Shikamaru dragged sleepy Choji who is hugging his bag of BBQ chip.

Meanwhile, Asuma watched his soon-to-be students with chuckled in amused. He waited until they stood in front of him. "Well, are you all ready for survival test?" he asked, grinned widely.

"Asuma-sensei…" Jounin turned to Sakura with curious. "…why do we have to be here so early?" she whined, she wanted to sleep a little bit longer and hate the idea that she'll have dark circles. Sakura wants to have her skin pure and fresh, however, she can't because there's a survival test. But still.

Asuma blinked at her then glanced at other soon-to-be official Genin who are sleepy as well. "You three could have told me if you prefer to come at a different time." He said, calmly and soon amused once again when he watched Sakura fell in anime style while Shikamaru glared with disbelieved as he dropped Choji who plummeted on the ground; snored.

"Seriously?!" Sakura snapped at Jounin as she stood up with irritated.

A Jounin chuckled. "Now, let's wake up Choji so I can explain to you all about this test." It nearly took half an hour to wake the rotund boy when he finally sat up and rubbed his drowsy eyes. Sakura and Shikamaru stood between Choji while facing Jounin.

Asuma placed his hands on his hips. "Okay, there will be a time limit in this survival test. You three need to excel this test by afternoon." He took out a mini alarm clock from his bag, set it on the stump a few feet away. "I'll start the alarm after I explain the test." He took out three emerald-shade of green ribbons. "These three ribbons are each for you, however, you have to take it from me." Asuma tied a ribbon around his left wrist, tied another ribbon around his right ankle, and tied the last ribbon around the right bicep. "This won't be an easy test since a lot of teams have failed this, but who knows… maybe this team might be the first one to pass."

"What are the rules?" Sakura asked in curious with a frowned.

Asuma shook his head. "There are no rules. In fact, you are allowed to kill me if you so desire to." Then he glanced up at the sky. "Let's start, before you three waste your time. You have six hours." He said as he walked to a mini alarm clock, set up the alarm and grinned at his soon-to-be students. "Your time starts now." Suddenly, he vanished.

Three Genin were taken aback by the incredible speed of Jounin's level. The pink-haired girl turned to her teammates and saw Shikamaru yawning while Choji eating his chips. Her shoulders dropped with dreaded. 'We're going to fail.' She mused with anxious then shook her head and held up her fist with determined. 'No! We can't fail! Fail is not an option! If I fail, then I won't see Sasuke-kun at all! He probably already passed his test.' Sakura started to get motivated. She turned around, facing her teammates. "We need to pass this test and I won't accept any failures!"

The lazy ninja raised his eyebrow at Sakura who is suddenly exploded with determined. "Woman… how are we supposed to get the ribbons from a Jounin? He's a seasoned experienced Jounin-level shinobi. We are newly, fresh Genin with basic combat skill. It's pointless." He sighed.

Sakura glared at Shikamaru. "Well, we can start making a plan! He wants us to take a ribbon from him, he has three and each of those belongs to us." She crossed her arms. "I'm assumed we have to take it individually."

"…somehow I doubt it." Shikamaru mumbled, low enough that his teammates couldn't hear it. Sakura straightens up her spine and stared at her two teammates with a slightly impolite face. "I'm going to get my ribbon and Sasuke-kun will be impressed!" she said with resolved, she turned around and run off. "See ya!"

Shikamaru and Choji watched the pink-haired girl disappeared into the woods. "…she'll fail." Choji declared calmly, yet little bit pity.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru groaned. "…if this continue, we will surely fail as a team." He glanced at his best friend who stood up from the ground.

Choji smiles with knowing eyes. "Search for her and start the plan?"

"…let's go find that troublesome woman."

.

..

…

Team Saku-Shika-Cho

Arc I: Bloom, Deer, & Butterfly

Chapter Two

"Ribbon Test"

…

..

.

Sakura panted slightly as she observed her surroundings in the wood. She has no idea how long she been searching for the Jounin nor how many minutes has it pass. Her lime-green eyes glanced up at the sky if she has to guess the time. 'It's probably almost six… which means I have five hours left.' She mused with anxious. As much as she doesn't like this, Shikamaru was right earlier. 'Asuma-sensei is a Jounin-level Shinobi… I'm just a fresh, new Genin and recent graduate from Ninja Academy. I only have basic combat skills of academy levels and the only strength I have is my intelligent.' She frowned deeply. Even if she already found Asuma, what is she supposed to do?

The pink-haired girl sighed softly as she continued walking, aimlessly in the woods. Until she halted, she suddenly has déjà vu as she noticed she passed the same shape of a rock, the second time is a coincidence but third time… Her eyes narrowed with thoughtful. 'I wonder…' she took her kunai out, marked 'x' on the ground, then placed it back in her holster.

She walked in a different direction for nearly ten minutes until she saw the same rock and marked 'x' where she left off. "Am I going in a circle? But I went in different direction… wait…" her eyebrows furrowed. "….this…. this is Genjutsu!" she held up her sign. "Kai!" the illusion released, and Sakura smiles widely with proud of herself that she was right. 'Asuma-sensei placed the Genjutsu not too long ago. Which means I'm probably close.' She mused.

"Sa-sakura…" Sakura's heart leap when she heard a familiar voice, she turned around with blush and lovestruck in her eyes. "Sasuk-" she was paralyzed when she saw Sasuke is covered in blood, badly beaten and bruises as he leaned against the tree. Sasuke looked up in agony. "H-help…m-me…" he pleaded as he vomits the blood.

Sakura's eyes widen as tears spill out. "N-N-N…NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed in horror then fainted forward.

.

.

Meanwhile

Shikamaru and Choji walked around in hope to find their missing pink-haired teammate. It has been a quiet yet comfortable silence between two best friends. Until a shrill screamed heard through the woods as two boys snapped their heads up with recognized. "Is that… Haruno-san?" Choji asked with curious and concerned.

"I believe so. Only us, Asuma-sensei and her are the only ones in this field." Shikamaru answered as his sharp brown eyes glanced over the direction he was sure where she screamed from. The lazy ninja hummed, as his eyes shifted down and spot the signs. He tracks the trail while Choji followed behind quietly as he is eating his snack.

When they arrived at the area where they both saw Sakura, unconsciousness on the ground. Quickly, they checked on her and was relieved that she wasn't injured. "I wonder what happened?" Choji mused out loud with curious.

Shikamaru sighed as he bends down, reached for Sakura's shoulder and shook her. "Oi."

The pink-haired girl groaned as she is gained her consciousness. When she fluttered her eyes open to reveal her lime-green eyes, met narrowed brown eyes. Sakura blinked few times then suddenly, she gasped loudly with worried. "Sasuke-kun!" she sat up, searching for Sasuke with anxious eyes.

"There's no one here except us." Choji mention with a confused frown.

Sakura stood up as Shikamaru leaned away and watched her in silence. "I saw him! I know he was here!" she jerked around with worried. "And the look of the way he is now… he could be dead!" she said with panicked, then run off in a random direction. "Wait for me, Sasuke-kun! Please don't die!"

An awkward silence appeared until a lazy ninja groaned. "What a drag… Asuma-sensei must have used Genjutsu." He grumbled as he stood up.

"Should we go after her?" Choji asked, concerned and confused.

Shikamaru stared at the direction where the pink-haired girl ran off. "…fine. If she runs again, I'm going to use my Shadow Possession." He grumbled as he shoves his hands in his pockets.

Once again, the young ninjas quickly walked down the path where their pink-haired teammate run off. After another waste of fifteen minutes of searching, they found her.

"…troublesome." Shikamaru mumbled while Choji placed his snack in his hidden bag. There are three clones, holding the kunai while Sakura is trapped, in the air, hanging upside down with her ankle wrapped by a rope.

Sakura is struggled as she held onto her qipao in modest. She refuses to let her hands go since she doesn't want anyone to peek at her biker shorts. Her face was red with mortification. Her eyes landed on her teammates. "Help me! Please! Let me down!"

The clones ignored the pink-haired girl as they watched the young ninjas. Choji glanced at his best friend. "Shikamaru…"

"What a drag… I have to fight…" then a lazily smirk appeared on his face. "Clones or not… you have caught by my jutsu." The enemies of clones realized that they are paralyzed. "Shadow Possession. Succeed." Shikamaru trapped the clones with his shadows. 'They are not regular clones… they are shadow clones.' He mused after a quick overlook at the clones. "Choji."

"Got it." Choji took out his shuriken and threw at the clones. Immediately, they vanished in smokes. Shikamaru took a mental note of how they didn't try to fight back or even the slightest bit.

"Get me down!" Sakura shouted, snapped her teammates' attention on her. "I need to find Sasuke-kun! He is badly injury! He needs my help!" she was swinging back and forth with beyond worried.

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows at her. "Why would Uchiha be here?"

"I don't know!" Sakura snapped at lazy ninja with frustrated glared. "Maybe no one was around so he must have been searching for help! And he happened to find me!" she answered, impatience.

Choji watched his best friend and teammate in silence while eating his chip once again. Shikamaru crossed his arms with a frown. "Really? Uchiha's training field is seven. We're in training field ten. Think, Haruno… why would Uchiha, the number one Rookie of the Year, badly injury travel all the way here from the training field seven? Injury or not, Uchiha never ask for help."

Sakura opened her mouth to protect but paused when she truly think about what Shikamaru said. 'Wait… now that I think about it… Sasuke-kun would never ask for help… and he doesn't get hurt that easily. He's strong! And he is a number one Rook of the Year… but then… what was that…before…' slowly, her face is in red with embarrassed and humiliated. '…I got caught in double Genjutsu… I didn't even think of the possibility that Asuma-sensei would plant two layers of Genjutsu.' She mused then cleared her throat. "…please get me down." She mumbled, still humiliated.

Shikamaru eyeing at his teammate then nodded his head when he noticed that she has calm down. He took out his kunai, threw at the rope and cut it off. Sakura dropped toward the ground, she quickly flipped over and landed on her feet. The lazy ninja shoves his hands in his pockets. "Now that we're clear. I have a plan to get the ribbons from Asuma-sensei."

"…are you supposed to tell us?" Sakura frowned at him. "He has three ribbons for each of us." She pointed it out.

"I know, but, think about it. He told us to take it from him. One for each of us, however, doing this as an individual would surely get us to fail this test. He didn't explain to us except take the ribbons, correct?" Sakura and Choji nodded their heads. "Remember where he tied the ribbons?"

Sakura tilted her head. "Well, yeah. It's on his left wrist, right ankle, and right bicep." She remembered perfectly, thanks to her photography memory.

"He didn't have to do that front of us. He could just hold onto it and tied it away from our sights."

The pink-haired girl hummed. "Are you saying that Asuma-sensei did those on purpose?" Shikamaru nodded his head. "Then… if that's true, there should be something hidden meaning behind that." She added, contemplative.

"Plus, we've been wandering aimlessly for nearly two hours and there's no sign of Jounin." Shikamaru said, thinking as well.

Choji watches as he is listening carefully. He knew that Shikamaru is smart, very smart but he almost forgot that Sakura is smart too. Sakura frowned as she glanced around. 'He's right… even though he did leave the Genjutsu and clones…' "He left the jutsu… what's the purpose of that?"

"I don't know, probably distract us, hints, waste our time or push us in a different direction." Then suddenly the lazy ninja got an idea. "Wait… direction." He glanced at Sakura. "Where's the ribbon did Asuma-sensei tied on?"

Sakura repeated with confused. "Umm, left wrist, right ankle, and right bicep."

"Left, right and right." Shikamaru mumbled as his brain is wiring as he glanced at the north of the direction. "From here, that's north…" Sakura and Choji heard his whispered.

The pink-haired girl furrowed her eyebrows. 'North? Like… does he mean…' "Wait a minute…" her lime-green eyes spark with understanding. "Are you saying he will be in an area where we can find him by the hints he gave us before he starts the alarm?" Shikamaru was surprised that Sakura caught Asuma's trick, he glanced at her and nodded his head.

"Of course!" Sakura beamed with excitement. "From here, that's definitely north." Her eyes glanced up at the sky where the moon is. Thanks to her love of stars and moon, she knew how to navigate even though there are no stars available yet, but there's a large silver rock in the sky that should help her. "Left, right, and right… from here, we go north-west and west." She confirmed it, positive with her navigate skill.

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows with impressed while Choji smiles softly with thankful. "I didn't know you can navigate so easily, Haruno-san."

Sakura blushed shyly with a smile. "I really enjoy stargazing ever since I was little, my father taught me how to navigate by stars and moon." She briefly explained.

'Interesting.' Shikamaru mused as he mentally filed that away. "Now we know where Asuma-sensei is… but first, we need to get the ribbons from him. It won't be easy."

"He wants us to fight against him, to get that ribbon." Sakura bit her lip.

Choji frowned with concerned. "So, what can we do?" he asked his best friend with curious. He doesn't want to hurt the Jounin but he wants to pass this test with his lazy best friend and pink-haired teammate.

"Fight against him alone will defiantly backfire. The only way we can get those ribbons is to fight together against him." Shikamaru closed his eyes. "If we do the right calculate, along with correct formation… left wrist, right ankle, and right bicep…" he mumbled the last parts to himself as he bends down and pressed his fingertips together in an 'O' shape.

Sakura blinked with bewildered at Shikamaru and glanced at Choji who is munching his chips quietly. Her lime-green eyes glanced back at the lazy ninja. 'He looks like he is thinking, planning something… I guess that's this is his way of thinking things?' she mused with curious while examined him carefully.

After a quiet of ten minutes, Shikamaru snapped his eyes open as he came up nearly fifty different ways to get the ribbons from a Jounin. "I have a plan." He stood up, expressed his boredom yet his eyes are sharp and calculated. "I know about Choji's strength, but what's your strength?" he asked his pink-haired teammate.

"Uhh… well, my strength is analyzing skill and… probably decent Genjutsu skill." Sakura answered. Shikamaru hummed as he canceled half of his plans mentally. At least he knew one of the plans will work and success if they went to his plan correctly.

"Alright… listen carefully…" Shikamaru whispered to his teammates about his plan.

.

.

Meanwhile

Asuma stretched his arms above his head as he stared up at the nice blue sky and warm sun. It's almost nine o'clock and he has been lounging on the thick branch of a tree. He scanned his surroundings, waiting for the Genin to arrive at his area. Then, he heard stray branches snapped as he turned his head to the direction. 'They should know how to use cat steps… making noises like that will surely alert the enemies.' Asuma mused as he thought of possible training exercises, that is if they pass his test.

When he spotted a pink-haired girl walked out of the woods with tears spilling over her cheeks. Asuma suddenly felt awkward yet concerned for her. Sakura sniffed as she paused in the middle of the nowhere then dropped her knees.

Asuma frowned as he watched her with concerned and curious. Then, unexpectedly, Sakura burst out in tears as she covered her face and her body was shaky. The Jounin jerked up, he immediately jumped down gracefully and went to the pink-haired girl. "Sakura?" he called out, hesitated. "Hey… please don't cry…" he attempted to comfort the young girl, feeling extremely uncomfortable. When he got close to her, he bends down and examined her.

"Sakura…?" he reached for her, then he was paralyzed. He couldn't move his position as he blinked at this.

"Shadow Possession. Succeed." Shikamaru speaks up with triumphed smirked on his face. He has trapped Asuma with his shadow behind. And Choji standing next to him prepared to use his jutsu, just in case.

The Jounin blinked in surprised and even more astonished that Sakura lifted her head from her hands with a cheeky smile on her face. 'She… she was faking it.' He mused, slightly impressed by her good acting skill. She actually got him fooled, got him to hook, line, and sinker. 'Not bad for a Genin.'

"Get the ribbons!" Shikamaru reminded Sakura who nods her head and reached to untied the ribbons from Asuma. The Jounin man watched three ribbons untied, then Sakura steps back and quickly jogged toward her teammates. Shikamaru released his shadow and not unkindly take the ribbon from Sakura and Choji took one as well.

Asuma stood up, turned around and saw three ninjas held up the emerald ribbon in hand. He chuckled softly as he shook his head. 'I…I underestimated them. Two of them are not even in the slightest bit interested being Shinobi and one doesn't seem to want to hurt anyone. But to think, three of them working together… they could be one of the great teamwork in Konoha of this generation.' He mused while observed them. '…maybe with the right motivation… they could be excellent Shinobi, no doubt it. But first, they need training and experience.'

"I like you guys…" Asuma chuckled once again when Genins perked up at this. "Congratulation, you all passed this test. Tell me, how did you find me?" he is curious.

Shikamaru slumped his shoulders. "The ribbons… you tied it certain area when you could've just put in your pocket or done it after you are out of our sights. They were hints."

"Left wrist, right ankle, and right bicep." Sakura speaks up with a proud smile that she passed the test. "It's told us where you are in this area. North-west, west."

"And Shikamaru came up with a plan to get those ribbons." Choji added after he swallowed his snack happily.

Asuma nodded his head with comprehension as he rubbed his beard. "So, in the end, you three did it together." He grinned widely. "If it just one or two of you… you would fail, however, you all work together as teamwork. That's the point of this ribbon test." He pointed at the emerald-shade ribbon. "The shade of those green is emerald. I personally picked that specific color because of the meaning behind it. Emerald means Heart Chakra, it opens and nurtures the heart. It gives the ability to sooth energy provides healing to all levels of being, bringing freshness and vitality to the spirit. An inspiration and infinite patience, it embodies unity, compassion and unconditional love." His eyes soften. "I want you to have it, prove that you are one team with a real bond."

Sakura stared at her teacher with awed. She never thought Asuma would be a very thoughtful and down-to-earth man. Her lime-green eyes glanced at the ribbon in a new light then glanced at her teammates. '…I can't help but to think that earlier, I ran off to tried to pass this test on my own… and when I got tricked by Genjutsu, I was so focused on Sasuke-kun… I didn't even stop and think about my action, about this test means for my teammates. I just assumed and do things on my own.' She frowned deeply as she slowly feeling guilty. '…I feel… so selfish.' She clenched the ribbon in a fist. 'What… does it mean to be in a team?' she mused with lost and confused.

"Well then!" Asuma clapped his hands happily. "Since you are the first team that passed this test and it's almost lunchtime, how about I treat you at the BBQ restaurant? To celebrate our team." He grinned wide.

Choji's eyes widen with sparkles. "YES! BBQ" he shouted, cheerfully.

The pink-haired girl was startled from her serious mused as Shikamaru sighed softly as he shoves the ribbon in his pocket. After Sakura calmed her pounding heart, she glared at Choji for nearly gave her heart attack. "Seriously, Choji! You've been eating non-stop! Sooner or later, you're going to get fatter!" she snapped at him.

Shikamaru froze in fear while Asuma frowned at her with disapproved eyes. "Now, now… calm down. There's no need to take out on Choji like that, Sakura." He scolded his female student.

"You shouldn't say that woman…" the lazy ninja warned Sakura while sweating nervously and Sakura turned to him with a confused frown. "…that word is a taboo for Choji."

A Jounin and pink-haired kunoichi turned to silent Choji who stood still as the shadows covered his face, dramatically. His ears twitch a few times. "Did… did you say… fat?" then suddenly, he jerked his head up with blazing fire in his eyes. "I'M NOT FAT! I'M JUST BIG-BONE GUY!" he shouted with fierce.

Asuma and Sakura stared with flabbergasted at Choji's reaction.

The lazy ninja quickly grabbed Sakura's hand. "This is a pain in the ass!" he dragged her away, safely from furious rotund ninja who is down set to kill the pink-haired girl. Meanwhile, Asuma blinked owlishly at the comedic scene. 'This team…'

"GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE GIRL!"

"Troublesome! See what you got yourself into woman?!"

"How the hell was I supposed to know that FAT was a taboo word to him?!"

The Jounin sweatdropped when Shikamaru quickly picked up his pace while dragging Sakura in hand. Choji is chasing after them with fire eyes while rising his fists. '…is very interesting….'

"OOOOOOHHHHHH! IT'S OOONNNNN!"

"Do you have a death wish?!"

"Sorry!"

Asuma raised his eyebrows with amused when Shikamaru quickly grabbed Sakura's arms, picked her up and draped her over his shoulders. He jumped up to the branches and Choji almost immediately followed them.

"SHIKAMARU! STOP HELPING THAT GIRL!"

"Well, stop trying to kill her! It's a drag to explain to Hokage if we're one member short in Team Ten! Plus, a man shouldn't hurt a woman!"

"What's wrong with this team?!"

"OOOHHHHHHH!"

'Well… this surely would be entertaining.' Asuma mused, boy, his life is going to be full of chaos; especially now that this team is unique.