Chapter 2

Three years ago

Sakura closed the door behind her and set the tray with drinks and cookies down on the table. Naruto, who was already sitting took a cookie and started munching. He swallowed and started speaking. "What do you want to know, Sakura?" Sakura, who was 13 at that time, had many questions. Why hadn't her friends told her about this? Why didn't they tell that they didn't only watch, but also participated in the competitions? She had so many questions..

"Let's start with the less hard ones," she said, "I really want to ask why you all didn't tell me about this but I suppose that you all had your reasons so you could start with explaining me the basics." Naruto nodded. He wasn't as hyper as normal because he knew that he had hurt his best friend by not telling her about it but he was happy that she would let him explain.

"The basics of the subway stride competitions are simple. You have to run, jump and climb as fast as possible without falling." Sakura nodded. She had seen a few competitions and knew that. "It does get harder though. The competitions you normally see are genin level – the lowest level and the easiest. After the genin level comes the chunin level. Most people there are around fifteen when they start in the chunin level competitions. After this it becomes even harder," Naruto said. Sakura nodded, this was important for her to know. She had seen a few competitions – apparently genin competitions - but those weren't only done by young teenagers, but also by young adults. She understood now that it was because of the fact that they didn't have any chunin or higher level courses near.

Naruto was silent for a moment, apparently thinking. "Naruto?" "You know of the deaths that happen, don't you?" he asked. This made her silent too. "Yes," she said with a soft voice. "A son of a man who lived in this street died in a competition." The deaths that happen in the competitions aren't something that people speak of. "After chunin comes the jounin level. Most people who join jounin level competition levels are older than 17. If they even join. The jounin courses are life risking and that scares many," his attitude shifts. He has been serious because this wasn't a thing you joke about it but he has a smile on his face. "But I'm gonna join the jounin courses, believe it!"

Sakura nodded. She believed it. Her best friend was very good on the genin course and she believed that he would make it.

Present time

Sakura took her tray with her lunch meal to her table and sat next to Naruto. "Naruto," she muttered. "Yes Sakura-chan?" How could he look so innocent? He knew damn well what this was about! "You know I can't go," she hissed on a low voice. "But Sakura-chan! I got some friends and I want you to meet them," he pouted. "Naruto, I have much to do next week. What makes you think that I have time to go to Suna?" she asked. Naruto stopped pouting, (he knew it wasn't going to work), but started speaking again. "I heard that Tsunade will attend," he whispered.

Sakura's eyes widened. Tsunade Senju was a woman Sakura adored, (or worshipped, in Naruto's words) and she had had the privilege to meet with her once, where she promised to Tsunade that she would be worth the training she had asked for. Sakura, who knew almost everything about Tsunade, had asked if the elder woman if she could train her for the competitions, but Tsunade had declined her. She had told her that she wasn't worth it yet, that she should grow more in all the possible ways before she would train her. Sakura did all the things she could and when she thought she was worth the training, she searched for Tsunade. But Tsunade was nowhere to be found in all the four nations. Of course she had heard rumours, but she couldn't just go there if she heard about Tsunade being there because she had a life herself, and if she did have time she would be too late there to see Tsunade.

"How late will we go?" she asked. Naruto's face brightened and he started speaking. "Well, I planned on going directly after school. None of the other will go with us because they will go separately and later but I got to go earlier because I have to pick up some friends." Sakura frowned a bit. She knew she had to go with Naruto, otherwise she wouldn't even be able to arrive there, but direct after school? "Naruto, you know I can't go after school, I have to wait till my mom goes to sleep," she said. "But I got a plan, Sakura-chan! You know we always slept over when we were younger, right?" O no, she knew were this was going. "We can act like we're going to have a sleepover again!"

"If we can get out without getting in problems with your dad, I'll go with you," she agreed. "But only if we don't get any problems with your dad." Knowing her blond friend, they would get in problems one way or another and she tried to have as less as possible.

Sakura pulled her hair in a ponytail and stretched a bit. She would have a friendly match with someone she didn't know, but apparently Naruto had known him. "He's an ice-cold bastard," he said, "but he was my best friend and now he's coming back!" The fact that he would be coming back had made him absolutely go crazy.

Naruto had told her that he was good, one of the best, and that he knew this course like the back of his hand but that she would have a shot. Sakura knew with this information that she wouldn't be able to win but she absolutely going to try to win.

The lanterns that some people had set up shone softly, but just enough so that they would be able to see where they were running.

Her opponent arrived and walked her way, to stand next to her.

"ARE YOU READYYYY?"

They had gotten new electronics, Sakura nodded.

"3"

She looked sideways at the male next to her.

"2"

"Good luck," she murmured.

"1"

"Hn," was the only reply she got.

"GO!"

And she ran.

And there you go, chapter two!

It isn't very had to guess who the new guy is, right?

Well, we got the competition levels and Sakura's meeting with Tsunade (which will probably get a flashback, somewhere in the story).

Did you guys like it?

Thank you all for reading, following, favouriting and reviewing

BTW, about the updates: Please don't expect the updates every day. I'll mostly update on friday and in the weekends but like today, when I have stopped writing half way the chapter the day before, I can finish it on a school day. I'm a 14 years old HAVO student, which makes me have pretty much to do so I can't always write but I'll do my best!