"I'm tired," Sakura stretched her arms over her head and let out a giant yawn. "It's been a while since I've done this," she looked around her feet at all the unconscious bodies that were scattered around the quiet park grounds. She wore a red leather jacket with a black short sleeve shirt, jeans, and black boots. She removed the black gloves from her hands and fixed the ribbon on her hair before it fell off. "I was worried I became a little rusty but it looks like I'm getting some of my old style back." She looked all around her to see who was awake and who was knocked out. It had been her third night doing this and she had getting tired of nothing coming up.

"Y-You wench!" she heard a soft voice not to far off from where she was standing. Her eyes brightened that someone was still awake and she practically jumped over to them.

"You're awake," she was so glad that she hadn't knocked everybody out like she had done the last two nights. "It good to see some of you have a goof future in fighting." It really had saddened her to see so many come at her and all of them so weak. They were supposed to be the most feared and respected gang in the country and that meant they had to be strong. She beat nearly half of them with one punch.

"K-Kiba will g-get y-you." It seemed like he was fading in and out of consciousness so she needed to act fast. Quickly she pulled a note from her pocket and handed it too the guy.

"I'm not scared of Kiba or anyone else at Nin High," she placed her hands on her hips and gave him a bright smile. "Please give that note to Ino for me. I know you guys work under her and I want to have a nice little chat with Miss Piggy." She gave him a small wave before running off down the empty park road and escaping into the night.

"Phase one is set up now all I need to do is wait," If all went well then she could get Ino to join her side by the next morning. However if he fears came true, her fears being Kiba showed up instead, then she and her friends would be in a lot more trouble than they already were in. She needed to get Ino back on her side if she was going to have any chance with stopping Kiba. She needed to know about him and how much he has changed when she left them and Ino was the girl to go too. She couldn't keep asking Hana without Kiba knowing and she didn't want him to think his family was betraying him. Despite what he was doing he was a guy who cared deeply about his family and was loyal to them, so if he found Hana with her it would only do more damage to his heart. "I swear I will help you." She had turned Kiba into this and she was going to be the one to change him back.

"The only question is how?" she had been thinking about this from the moment her friends rescued her from Nin High and got her back her freedom. She was determined to help her friends find better lives than the ones they have been living. Each one has gone through things that made them believe fighting and power were the only options left to feel like they belonged to the world, but Sakura was going to show them a different side. She was going to show them that they didn't need to always fight and they could live a happy life if they let her. "I just can't give up, not ever." It didn't matter what it took she would help them.

"You know it's past your bedtime." She skidded to a halt when she heard that voice. She had been surprised to hear that voice this late at night.

"Neji," she turned around to find Hinata's cousin, Neji Hyuga, walking up to her. He was a police officer like everyone else in his family; he worked as a private investigator wearing a light brown jacket with a white dress shirt, matching light brown dress pants and gray dress shoes. He looked very mature and sophisticated and like an easy target to mug if you ever saw him at night but his appearance was deceiving. He and everyone else in his family studied martial arts from the time they could walk and Neji was called a genius in his family. "What are you doing here?" It strange seeing him at a local park so late at night. It would have been normal to see him at home or working on a case around this time instead of him talking a moonlit walk in the park by himself.

He brushed some of his long brown hair away from his eyes and sighed when he finally reached her. "Cleaning up your mess," he took out a notepad and showed her what was written on it. "We've been receiving reports of a young girl fighting a giant group of thugs late at night and I was sent to investigate," he put the pad away and crossed his arms, giving her a disappointed look. "You are lucky Lady Hinata told me of your situation or I would have arrested you on the spot." The way he spoke sometimes bothered Sakura. He always had that "I'm better than you" attitude going on and it drove her insane. When she first met him the first thing she wanted to do was scream and punch him in the face but somehow Naruto had gotten through that attitude of his and got the guy to actually be polite and smile.

"I'm sorry if I'm causing you trouble but I need to do this." If she didn't do this than her plan wouldn't work and she couldn't help her friends. Even if this got her in trouble with the police she would finish this through until the bitter end.

"I know, Lady Hinata had explained to me what is happening," he released his disappointment look and in its place was sympathy. "I know all about your old life and your friends. I find it honorable that you are working so hard for them and I will do as much as I can to keep the officers I work with off your trail but you need to act fast. There is only so much I can do." He warned her and Sakura was glad he was on her side. Having someone like Neji help her out made her feel just a little bit safer. With him than she didn't have to worry about the police catching her or her friends and if they did than Neji could report to her which of her friends got captured and possibly see them.

"Thank you," she gave him a bow of respect, something she knew he approved off and smiled up at him. "I owe you." She left him with that. Her feet taking her down the empty sidewalk and down the path that would take her home to her empty apartment. Her mother wanted to come home early after Sakura told her what happened with Kiba and everything at her school but she had convinced the worried woman that she was fine on her own. With her mother gone she didn't have to worry about someone targeting her, she was already worried enough for her friend's lives.

"This feels so strange," her mind took her back to the days when all she cared about was getting stronger and fighting another person. Her life had revolved around violence and now it revolved around medicine. "I've change a lot haven't I?" she stopped running and stood at the end of her street, her eyes looking at the nice building that was so different from the old worn out house that she used to live in. Her hand went to the back of her hair, the tips just hitting her shoulders and the ribbon she wore was holding on tight. "I've moved on but you're still stuck," she pulled the ribbon off her head, the gentle breeze of the night air blowing her lose pink locks around. Her eyes looking up at the moon, the light always seemed to be following her, guiding her or accusing her. "The moon was shining that night too," the night she decided to change her life and become the persons he is now. "Kiba…I hope at the end of this you and I can be together." she pulled the ribbon to her chest, just above her beating heart and closed her eyes. She could see Kiba, and Shino, and Ino all standing around side her, laughing, and having fun together. From the start of all this she was afraid that even at the end her old friends wouldn't want to be with her anymore. She still cared for them and having them hate her hurt her more than she let the others know. She grew up with them and knowing the people you considered your family hated your very existences hurt. "I think I understand you all a little better now." Tying the ribbon back on her head Sakura ran into her house and changed into her pajamas. She had school the next morning and she wanted at least a few hours of sleep if she was going to have to deal with her classmates.

"I am going to castrate him," Sakura's hand was shaking and turning white from the fist she was making. Her green eyes glared at the old and broken down desk that was in the place of her regular one. It seemed her classmates still hated her and decided to give her an old broken desk that a "Yanki" like her deserved. The desk was a yellow brown with mold growing out the bottom of it with words and markings written over every corner of the piece of wood. Her chair didn't have a back rest and the sit itself had a giant crack running down the middle of it, like if she sat in it the wood would give out. "Next time I see him I'm going to punch him into next week." She threatened the Inuzuka that was the cause of all of this. Because of his little art display of her classroom her entire class turned on her and they wanted her out.

Currently she was sitting at her teacher's desk while they waited for someone to come in and bring her back a new desk. "I want to know who is responsible for this," Their teacher, Kakashi, was standing at the front of the classroom as he waited for someone to confess. He was not pleased with his classroom's behavior and he was starting to lose his patience. "Very well then," he turned his back on them and word on the board.

Grade Point Average Quiz/Test

"Until someone confesses I will be giving you all quizzes where each question you get wrong drops your grade point average," He was already starting to hand out paper for his class to take the test. "The ones I know who didn't do this are free to do as they like for the rest of the period while the rest of you will be taking this test." He explained so that meant Sakura and her friends could leave if they wanted.

"Sensei, that's not fair!" A girl named Ami stood up and pointed at Sakura, eyes glaring at the bored/annoyed looking pink haired girl. "It's only because of her that we're all suffering. She's a delinquent that is causing us all problems. She needs to be expelled and-!"

"That's enough," Kakashi was angry now, he was upset with his class before but Ami just made it worse. "I will not tolerate your behavior. You say it is Sakura's fault you're in this mess but how is it her fault? Did she put in that rotten desk? Did she destroy the classroom? Did she make you all hate her?" his visible eye looked at every one of his students, the ones that hated Sakura had their heads down while Naruto and the others were watching their sensei. "All she did was live her life and make mistakes. That is something that I know all of you do, so do not come in my classroom and say she is at fault because she made bad choices in her life." The entire class was silent, their teacher's words sinking into them and two boys stood up from the back row.

"We did it." They confessed to moving Sakura's desk and even told them where she could find her old one.

"Now that that is all settled," Kakashi went back to the board and erased what he wrote before. "I will be giving you a slip that has a specific lifestyle written on it and I want you all to write an essay. This essay will require you to look deep inside your hearts and determine how you would live that type of life you have been given." He pulled out a box and passed it around the class letting everyone pick, when it came time for Sakura he skipped over her.

"I want you to write about your old life," he smiled at her through his mask that he always wore. "I want to hear about your old life and what that Sakura change and become this Sakura." He patted her on the head, eyes gentle and no signs of hate or anger anywhere. Her teacher cared for her, worried about her, and Sakura was happy she came to this school. Despite everything that was happening with her classmates, she was happy that she went to this school.

"You got it sensei." She would write him as much as her hand would let her. She would work until her hand hurt and she was forced to put her pencil down.

Ring

"Class dismissed." Kakashi announced and everyone raced out of the classroom. Some stayed in their seats and waited for Sakura to leave before them. Whether it was because they were still afraid of her or ashamed for how they were acting she didn't know and at this point she didn't really care. She was thinking of something else.

"Ino…" the girl must have gotten her note that she gave the guy last night. In it she wrote that she wanted to challenge her and see who was the strongest between them. They were best friends but they were also rivals, always competing who was stronger or better looking or anything that could turn into a competition between them. She knew Ino hated losing, like everyone in that group did, and most of all she hated losing to Sakura. "She should have responded by now." Even if it had only been last night, Ino's rivalry and hatred of her should have made the girl respond to her by now. She wanted to know what was taking her so long.

"Did Kiba find out?" That had been her biggest fear. If he did somehow find out than it could cause a lot of problems for her and she didn't need to deal with them right now. Right now she had to focus on Ino before going after him.

"Sakura?" Hinata had been walking with her and could see the worry look that she wore. "Is everything alright?"

She felt bad for worrying the girl but she couldn't help it. All this thinking and worrying was starting to get to her. "Urgh!" she put her hands in her hair and stared out the window in the hallway. She didn't feel like going to her next class. "This is killing me." She should have chosen better words. A rose flew past her through the open window, cutting a few pieces of her air as it flew by, and landed with a sharp thud on the wall. Sakura gasped and looked at the flower, it looked like a regular fake rose but the tip of it had a blade on the end. A note hung from the blade, a note with Sakura's name written on it.

"Hinata," She ripped the flower and note off the wall and ran towards the exit of her school. "Tell the others I skipped and went home." She called over her shoulder and in a matter of seconds was out the school and hopping over the fence. She needed to get home and fast before she missed her chance. So she raced home and changed out of her uniform and into a dark pink turtle neck shirt with no sleeves and white wings on the back, matching pink gloves that went past her elbows, with a jean skirt, black knee length socks and ankle boots. She grabbed her backpack full of her medical supply and ran out the door. The whole way home and back she read the note she had received.

"Sakura, you made the worst mistake of you life by challenging me.

I don't know what's gotten into that mind of yours but if you think I'm just going to let you do what you want you are so wrong!

I am, Ino Yamanaka, the heir to the Yamanaka family and I will not be treated in such a way. Not by a traitor like you.

If you want to fight me so badly than come to the field we used to go to as kids before noon and I'll take your challenge."

She did it. She got Ino's reply and now she needed to get to the field before the time limit was up. Ino hated to be kept waiting and it would be better for her not to antagonize her, at least not yet. She needed to talk to Ino first before she fought her, if she could just get through to her than maybe, just maybe, she could get her old best friend back on her side. "I hope I can make it there." She hoped on a train and rode it back into her old town. If felt strange knowing she could now travel between the two towns and not worry about having her freedom taken away.

The train ride was like her last, her sitting down on one end and thinking about her past. She and Ino had been best friends before she and Kiba ever became a couple. They were always together, playing together and fighting together. Even when they became rivals they still continued to play together. She missed talking with her best friend and wanted her back and that was what this fight was all about. She would get her best friend back. "We've been through a lot, you and I." her eyes looked out the window, watching all the building pass her by as she remembered her times with Ino.

/Flashback/

"Hey Sakura," Ino was sitting alone with her on the roof of their middle school while Kiba and Shino went to fight some seniors that decided to disrespect them. "Are you and Kiba really going out?"

Sakura sighed and rolled her eyes at the question. She had been getting asked that all day by people and it was starting to get really annoying. "Yes, we are. He asked me last night when I went over his house."

"I see," Ino had a strange faraway look in her eyes. "Well you better not turn into one of those people that make their boyfriend their whole world and forget about your friends." She flicked her forehead and crossed her arms.

Sakura groaned and rubbed her forehead. "I'm not. I'm only dating the guy, not marrying him."

"Not yet," Ino pulled her legs to her chest and leaned her head back against the fence, looking up at the sky. "Kiba really likes you. He has for a long time and I wouldn't be surprised if he asked you when we finally leave this place." Her voice was soft, something it never was and that worried Sakura. She knew Ino, she was loud and confidant but this girl in front of her was acting the complete opposite.

"Just what are you saying?" she watched the blonde; her eyes still head that faraway look in them.

"I'm saying that if he does ask you or even if you date another man that you don't forget about me," she looked at Sakura, blue eyes shining, almost like she was about to cry. "My mom already did so I don't want the only other girl in my life to forget about me and leave."

/End Flashback/

"Ino's mom had lost her mind when Ino was only six. An attack on the house caused her to have a mental break down and now she's in the hospital, just sitting there and living a life inside her mind." Sakura knew about Ino's mother. How much it had affected the girl and she knew why Ino hated her so much now. After losing her mother that thought of losing her drove her to believe everyone would leave her. "I swear, I will help you." It didn't matter if she got beaten to a bloody pulp, at the end of this she would help Ino come to her side.

When it came to her stop Sakura ran off the train and down the empty streets of her old neighborhood. Even with months of her no longer living there and her new style the people still seemed to recognize her, some giving her looks of fear and the other giving her looks of anger. Whether they were because they knew she had left Kiba's change or because they just hated her was their own problem, Sakura didn't focus on them.

So she let them stare at her and ran as fast as her black ankle boots would take her and ran to the field that she knew was full of cosmos flowers this time of year.

"I'm glad you made it on time, Sakura." Ino was already there waiting for her. In a purple leather jacket with a black shirt under it, skinny dark blue jeans with dark purple leather high heeled boots.

"Ino," she stared into the clear blue eyes of her old best friend and felt her heart tighten. She didn't know how she missed it when she went to Nin High last time but she could see it clearly now. Behind the hate in those sky blue eyes there was sadness. "I wouldn't miss it." She smiled at her best friend and he heart leaped with anticipation. This was it. The battle that would start a chain reaction whether she won or lost.

Ino raised a perfectly waxed eyebrow and crossed her arms. "What are you smiling about?" she questioned, not liking how the smile was on Sakura's face. It confused her.

Sakura only shook her head. "Nothing, I'll tell you later." She dropped her bag with a soft thud and took a set forward, Ino doing the same.

"Just what was this about anyways?" Ino questioned again, wanting answers from the pink haired girl. "You said in your note that you didn't want Kiba knowing you contacted me. Why is that?"

Sakura looked at the girl in front of her. Despite the cold voice she was receiving she could hear the tone that was hiding underneath it. "Because I wanted this battle to be just between you and me. I'm going to fight with you over Kiba or any other guy. This fight is for you and me only." She spoke her reasons. Had Kiba known about it than he would have come to watch and she wouldn't be able to see Ino's true self. It would either be clouded over by fear or anger and she didn't want that. She wanted to fight Ino the way she used to back when she still was in the Nin school system.

Seemingly shocked by that Ino just scoffed and got herself ready. "I don't know what's going on in that mind of yours and I don't really care. I've been waiting months to do this."

"What a coincidence," Sakura got herself ready too. Hands already balled into fists as she got into a fighting stance. "So have I." That started it.

The two girls ran at each other, both aiming punches and kicks of equal strength at their opponent and them catching each hit. It stayed like that for a while, the two would punch and they would catch the hit and the same with kicking. They knew each other; they had fought together before and they knew the other's fighting style. This would be a battle of wits and endurances more than strength and power. So they fought on in the open field full of cosmos flowers, the wind blowing petals all around them as each girl gave another punch to their opponent. The spot they picked had meaning to them and it only gave them more reason to fight because while they had different ending, both were fighting for the same reasons. So they gave it their all with the next kicks, punches, and other attacks to finish this battle and come out victorious. They both wanted to win desperately and prove something to the other. "You've gotten pretty good, Sakura," Ino panted, wiping some blood away from her bleeding lip. Sakura had managed to land a few good hits on her but the damage was the same on Sakura as well. "But now it's time for me to take this match to another level." Ino did a back flip and shot out over two dozen red roses, all of them having sharpened blazed on the ends of them.

Sakura was able to jump out of the way of all two dozen blades and land safely off to the side. Ino's attack came faster than she was used too but she already knew it wouldn't be as easy as she hoped it would be. So she took in a deep breath and stood on her feet and went in for another attack. "What the-?" she fell to her knees, her hands shaking and her mind was spinning. What was happening to her? She felt like something was wrapping around her mind and taking it for a giant spin. She couldn't think straight or even get her body to move correctly, but she had to do something before her entire body shut down.

Ino's laughter came floating into her ears. "It's a new trick of mine. While you may be able to dodge to attack itself the powder that on the flower tips can still be spread. Especially when we're outside and the wind carries it," Even with her mind spinning and the world looking like one giant mess of colors Sakura could still see that amused grin on her face. "Face it, Sakura. You're too much of a goody-goody to fight me like you used to. You've changed too much, you became weak and now you're going to be put through the same amount of pain you put all of use through when you left us," In a flash Ino jumped at her, one hand raised and aiming at Sakura's head. "I'll use my family special attack. It won't kill you but it'll do enough that you'll relive every tragic moment of your life until you beg me to kill you!" Ino was at her, fingers already in position to hit the pressure points in Sakura's head to make the memories she hide away surface and make her wish for death. "It's over, Sakura!"

Ino's hand was coming down, she would only have to touch Sakura's head once and she would win this battle.

"No, it's not." Sakura caught Ino's hand just before the tips of her nails could touch her forehead. Her mind was no longer spinning, eyes clear, and she finally had control over her body again.

"H-How?" Ino was shocked. Her blue eyes were wide with confusion and anger at Sakura's sudden movements. "You shouldn't be able to move your hand or any parts of your body. No one can break free after they've inhaled the powder my family makes!"

Sakura smirked at the blonde's words and stood up on her legs, her body no longer shaking and back under her control. "You're not the only one who understand the human mind, Ino," She released Ino's hand and jumped back, revealing three cuts on her leg. With her nails she had cut herself and left three swallow cuts running along her thigh. "I'm studying to become a doctor so I know the human body just as well as you do, maybe even better. Face it Ino," Sakura pulled out a bandage from her pocket and put it on her thigh. "I'm not the same Sakura you used to fight with." She wasn't that same girl that used violence to feel special about herself.

"You…You bitch!" Ino jumped at her, a fury of kicks and punches. Blue eyes blinded by the rage she was feeling deep inside her as Sakura easily dodged every attack.

"Knock it off," with enough force she aimed a punch at the side of Ino's head, hitting the tree behind her and making a giant dent in the harden wood of it all. "I'm not going to fight you when you're like this. I came here to fight the Ino Yamanaka that knows how to uses a person's own mind against them," she pulled her hand out of the tree, no scratches or splinters in her hand or any pain at all. "I won't fight someone who's blinded by anger." She walked away at that, leaving the panting blonde leaning against the broken tree.

"Sakura," Ino was not pleased at her walking away like that. "I refuse to let this happen!" she ran at her, a fist raised and aimed at Sakura's head. She was no longer thinking, just aiming a fist and hoping it would hit its mark. Sakura saw this and held her stance, she wouldn't move and instead caught Ino's wrist and stopped the attack from even happening.

Ino tried breaking free from Sakura's grip, twisting and screaming until finally she used her other hand to grab the front of Sakura's shirt and made her come closer. "Why…" she whispered out, no longer screaming or angered. Her voice was soft and held an emotion in it that had Sakura hadn't heard for a while come from the usual loud and confidant girl. "Why didn't you take me with you?" Tears fell from blue eyes as they looked into green ones. "If you were going to leave why didn't you take me with you?" Ino cried, falling to her knees in a defeated slump. Sakura had won the battle.

"Because I didn't want to cause anymore problems for you or your family." She sat in front of the crying girl and embraced her in a hug. She had thought about telling Ino about her plan but she had known about the trouble between her and her father and she didn't want to cause anymore problems.

"I wouldn't care if that happened," Ino pulled her closer to her, trying to get more into the hug and cried into Sakura. "My entire family only cares about the stupid clan and I'm only friends with Kiba and Shino because of my family. I hated it all but…" she took in deep breathes, trying to calm herself down so she could speak. "It only became fun after you joined the group. You didn't care about what family I was in or how much stuff you could get by being with me. You were my best friends and when you left I-I-I…it hurt so much. I already lost my mom and I didn't want to lose you too!" it was coming out; all of it was finally coming out.

"I'm sorry," Sakura hugged Ino close. She hadn't known how much she had hurt her best friend until now and she wanted to make up for all of that. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted a different life that didn't involve e hurting other people. I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She apologized for the pain she had put her through and held her best friend close.

The two remained that way for a quiet moment, Ino still crying while Sakura held her and let the tears spill. She would wait until she was feeling better to talk some more. "Sakura," finally Ino picked her head up to speak. "Can I come too?" she asked if she could join her.

Sakura didn't need to think twice about it. "Yes." That was what she wanted all along and now she got it. Ino Yamanaka, her best friend from the gang was back on her side and now her plan was finally in progress.

"Thank you." Ino thanked her and the two girls left the field and headed to Ino's house where they would talk to her father about letting her transfer into Sakura's school.

"There she is!" Shikamaru pointed at the pink lock of hair he saw sitting down in chair at the park's café.

"Sakura," Naruto and the others ran over to her. Looks of worry and concern shinning bright in their eyes. "Are you-?" Naruto halted in his steps and every followed soon after. They were shocked by what they were seeing.

"Huh?" Sakura stared at them in confusion as she sipped her tea. "What's wrong with you guys?" Their behavior was weirding her out.

"Just ignore them, Sakura," Ino told her best friend, taking a small sip of her own tea. "Let's enjoy ourselves as we celebrate my transfer."

"T-T-Transfer?" Naruto gasped out, eyes wide with realization.

Sakura gave them a sheepish smile. "Ino is transferring to our school tomorrow."

"What?" Her five friends all looked at her like she had sprouted another head.

"Seriously?" Shikamaru looked at the blonde in shock. The last time he saw her was when they went to Nin High and she wasn't acting so friendly back than.

"Yes," Ino answered for her friend. "I decided it would be more fun to hang with people that didn't live with animals and acted a little more human." They all knew she was referring to Kiba and Shino.

"Sakura," Sasuke called to her this time. "Are you sure we can trust her?" he looked questionably at the blonde that was winking at him.

"I'm sure. Ino is on our side so you guys don't have to worry so much." Sakura tried reassuring her friends but she knew it would take them more than that to get used to the idea that their enemy is now their friend.

"You shouldn't doubt me so much," Ino sipped more of her tea and asked for a re-fill from their waiter. "After all I can tell you all the little secrets about Kiba and his family." She smiled at them all, a knowing look in her eyes.

Shikamaru sighed and sat down at the table next to them, the other soon joining him. "She's right. We need the information she has and if Sakura says we can trust her than we shouldn't doubt her."

Ino laughed and smiled at Shikamaru. "Good choice brain-boy, now do me a favor and go order me that delicious looking cheese cake. I'm might as well enjoy myself tonight before going back on my diet." Shikamaru and everyone sighed at Ino's spoiled princess behavior.

Sakura just gave a weak chuckle and looked at all her friends. "This is going to take some getting used too." she just hoped they would all become friends by the time her next plan went into action. She would go after Shino next before finally going to Kiba and she needed everyone's help if she was going to win this battle.