As you may have guessed, this is a story about how one event (Sakura becoming friends with Naruto) can change so much of the timeline in the Anime/Manga. I'm really excited to see where I lead this story! Enjoy :]

Chapter 2: Friends

They sat in the sea of flowers, giggling as the wind came through and ruffled their hair. Sakura smiled at Ino and Ino smiled back. "Ino, I made a new friend," Sakura confessed after some hesitation. What if she doesn't want me to have other friends…?

"That's great!" Ino exclaimed and beamed at her friend, engulfing her in a gigantic hug.

It had been hard for Sakura to speak to Naruto because she rarely spoke to anyone. In class she always focused on learning and not socializing that was why, apart from her forehead, she was bullied. Then Ino came along and cheered her up.

Sakura blushed while hugging Ino. "You're not mad?" she whispered, afraid that making a new friend would hurt the budding friendship she had started with Ino.

"Nope! Why would I be? I have friends too silly like Shikamaru and Chouji have been my friends since birth. Having multiple friends is a good thing." A sigh of relief came from Sakura. "Well who is it?" Ino asked, wondering whom Sakura was able to speak to.

"His name is Naruto, he's really nice." She sighed happily, and fell back onto the grass and flowers, they offered cushioning. "Naruto is the first boy I've talked to!" A blush formed on the shy girl's face.

Ino stared at Sakura for a moment, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "That blonde haired kid? I've heard he's a troublemaker, and to stay away from him."

Sakura frowned, tears welling up. This isn't fair! He's so nice! Why do people say to stay away from him? The tears almost fell, but she wouldn't let them. Just because people warned her against Naruto, she wasn't going to be sad. She was getting old enough to realize who she can and cannot be friends with.

"That doesn't matter Ino, he is bullied. He needs a friend, just like me."

Eyes widening, and then softening, Ino smiled. "You're right. Lets all be friends."

"Naruto! Naruuutoooooooooo!" Sakura knocked excitedly on one of her best friend's door. "Come out and play!"

It had been a few weeks since Sakura met Naruto, and since then they had been spending plenty of time together. Ino had been to true to what she said, and she would play with them too. Eventually her other friends, Shikamaru and Chouji would join in.

Sakura always shook off the looks they all got from the adults. The disgust. Her own parents were skeptical at first, but they saw Sakura was happy to have friends. It was a step up from her being bullied and lonely. Every day she spent with Naruto and Ino, the Haruno family noticed Sakura opening up more and more. At dinner she would talk about her day, with a blush of course, and seemed open to trying new things. Naruto seemed good for her. Not to mention whenever they brought up his "troublemaking behavior" such as all the pranks he did, Sakura would just simply reply, "He's just a boy. And we are friends."

Those words held more power than Sakura realized. It was a slap to her parent's faces; it was a slap to any adult who decided they wanted to advise Sakura against Naruto. Why did they hate this boy so much? He was only seven, and the worst thing he had ever done was paint on random buildings.

"Naruuuu-" Sakura was mid knock and shout when the door flew open, a grinning blonde behind the door.

"Hii Sakura! Sorry I was eating ram-I mean breakfast." He chuckled sheepishly and ran his hand through his hair.

Sakura blinked, and then frowned. "You mean ramen? I told you ramen is not a healthy breakfast? Don't you pay attention in our nutrition class! It's important to be a strong shinobi!" She shook her head as she saw past Naruto, into his small apartment full of ramen cups.

Naruto stepped in front of Sakura, and closed the door. "Don't worry Sakura, I also eat fruit, sometimes." He grinned his signature grin, taking over his face. His eyes crinkled and the baby blues sparkled. Sakura blushed. "Come on, lets go play."

They headed towards the park where Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji were waiting. On the way they chatted excitedly with each other, talking about the lessons they learned at school.

"You know, I want to be Hokage one day. So then, no one can look down on me. They will just look up at my face on the stone! Next to all the other great Hokages!" Naruto exclaimed, he was excited.

Sakura smiled. "You'll be a good Hokage."

He grinned at her. "What do you want to do Sakura?"

"Hmm…I don't know." She whispered nervously. "My parents decided not to become shinobi, I'm not sure if I will do the same."

"But you have to Sakura! Me, Ino, Shikamaru, and Chouji are all enrolling in The Academy." Naruto explained desperately, "I need you there. You'd be an awesome shinobi! With your kind heart, and sweet personality."

Sakura stared at the ground as they continued to walk. She was silent, thinking. All my friends are going to become shinobi. Then I will be left behind…

Suddenly they heard the unmistakable sound of water sizzling, creating steam on the pond next to the path they were walking on. An excited voice erupted with sizzling, "I did it!"

It shocked Sakura out of her thoughts and she glanced where the noise was coming from, Naruto did the same. "Hey, what just happened?" Naruto asked, loud enough for the little boy on the dock to hear, he whipped around to look at his audience.

The boy's eyes widened and he blushed, ashamed for losing his cool. But yet, his eyes still gleamed with excitement, he was proud of himself. Sakura and Naruto jogged down the small hill to meet the boy on the dock.

"The water turned to steam," Sakura observed, always quick to pick up on exactly what was going on. Fire can do that. She thought to herself in awe. "Was that a fire jutsu?"

"Yes." The boy replied, a grin upon his face. The expression was at least half of Naruto's grin, but held just as much happiness.

"That's amazing!" Naruto exclaimed, a tad bit of jealousy in his voice. He was excited to meet someone who did something so cool.

The boy looked at Naruto. "It is a trademark jutsu in my family, if think that was cool you should see my brother! He always makes the biggest fireballs." He explained to them, the admiration apparent in his voice.

Sakura blushed as the boys continued their conversations. She wanted to join in, and even though she had started to overcome her shyness, she didn't know how to introduce herself without Ino; except that one time with Naruto. I wonder what his name is…maybe he wants to join Naruto and I at the park with the others.

Naruto was laughing with the little boy, apparently telling a joke. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and this is Haruno Sakura; what is your name?" Naruto seemed so gregarious in comparison to Sakura, especially since he didn't feel so alone nowadays because he made friends.

"Uchiha Sasuke." Was his short reply, he wasn't a boy of many words, just enough to get his point across. Sasuke looked at Sakura and his brows furrowed in confusion. "Is that real?"

Sakura didn't have to ask for an explanation. She knew he was referring to her hair, one of the other reasons she was bullied. Kids made fun of her bubblegum colored hair, telling her that it was weird and ugly. Sakura blushed and looked down at her feet, "Yes, but don't tell me how. Both my parents have dark brown hair." She was a little embarrassed actually.

"It's pretty." Sakura's eyes grew wide and she looked at Sasuke, who had a small smile on his face.

Naruto grabbed both Sakura's and Sasuke's hands and dragged them back up the hill. "C'mon Ino, Shikamaru and Chouji are waiting at the park." He grinned as they stumbled a little bit, not expecting him to have enough strength to drag them so quickly.

"Sasuke, you want to play with us?" Sakura asked, her emerald eyes bright with anticipation. Another friend!

"I was training…but since I did the jutsu, I guess its okay!" Sasuke beamed, he was excited to have a play date. He was used to following his brother; Itachi; around begging him to train him. Sasuke wasn't used to friends, but thought that maybe he needed people around him that were his age.

They arrived at the park, where kids were already running around playing. Ino skipped over to the three, a bright smile on her face. "Shino, Hinata, Kiba and his puppy are going to play tag with us today!" Shikamaru was standing behind her, hands in his pockets and shaking his head while Chouji put his hands in a bag of chips.

"So many kids…" Shikamaru looked at the sky. "It's troublesome making new friendships."

Naruto on other hand was excited and ran over to Hinata who was playing with her hands. "Tag you're it!" he patted her shoulder, not noticing the vibrant red streak forming on her face. She stepped forward, trying to tag Kiba but he ran away, everyone ran away.

All nine kids ran around the playground, giggling as people were tagged it. They were all innocent to any real events occurring around them. Like the shinobi dying on missions, or other countries in civil wars. They were just kids. Little did they know that their lives were going to be turned upside down, well some of them anyway.

But for now, they were happy.

I would like to thank everyone who followed and favorited my story! A special thanks to those who took the time to review. The kind words pushed me to get this chapter out (sooner rather than later) and also made it twice as long as the first one. I am excited to be writing again, and appreciate encouragement! So tell me what you think :]