D/C- I do not own Naruto or anything associated with it except for my lil story thing

thanks to Neon Kun for my first review!

Again, they're genins and all, but I'm going to make them some bunch older than I think they look… hmm..how old ARE they supposed to be! My story time is kinda weird cuz it starts with the genin team starting, but then they turn sixteen. So the timings kinda funny. I guess I just used that part as the beginning to get the thing started. Hmm…and when do most ninjas become chuunins.. I don't keep up with this kinda weird stuff…

A Better Me

Three weeks passed by after the first day of the different Sakura. The genin team's three birthdays were all in those three weeks. First came Sasuke's, a week after Sakura changed. Then Sakura's arrived five days after his, and Naruto's was the day after Sakura's. All three turned sixteen. The pressure Naruto felt that Sakura had suddenly become much better than he had was pushing him to improve more and more. He knew of Kyuubi's power in him, but he couldn't entirely control it, and what little sense he had told him that trying to pull out all of Kyuubi's power was ultimately dangerous. He would just learn to control the flow, and use it to his best extent. That's all he could do. But he definitely couldn't let the black haired boy and the pink haired girl both beat him.

Sakura had been feeling quite happy ever since her change. She let Naruto come closer to her heart, and Naruto and Sasuke became the closest friends she had ever thought she had. Ino had become more distant ever since their childhood, and although they exchanged friendly smiles and brief conversations, their friendship was never the same. Sakura and Ino only missed each other a little, but it was for the memories they had shared when they were little. They were both happy, Ino had become close friends with Tenten, and Sakura felt just fine around Naruto and Sasuke.

Sasuke, too, was pushed forward by Sakura's flood of newfound skills. However, he reminded himself every minute of his goal. Power. But he also reminded himself of how to get it. He would draw on his friends, they would support him. He could train with them, gain strength from them, and keep his mind positive, and away from the darkness that Itachi represented. He saw how hard Naruto was working, and in fact, had always worked. He saw the new glint of determination and ambition in Sakura's ever changing eyes. He grew fond of her, also, and the previously annoying immature little girl disappeared from his mind and was replaced by a cheerful and helpful teenage girl. He felt another thing for her, also. He couldn't name it, but seemed to remember something from his childhood that was exactly like what Sakura brought up in his mind.

One day, Naruto took sick, and Kakashi had a meeting to go to. He dropped by, and quickly explained the two absences, then told the two they could have the day off, and then vanished. Sakura blinked, and the protective veil of dark green lifted from her eyes. It seemed to automatically switch itself on every time Sakura heard something she didn't know.

"Well. I'm going for a walk in the forest. Maybe I'll train some later." She said to Sasuke. She winked at him and waved, turning to the dirt path that led away from the village.

"I'll come with you. D'you mind?" Sasuke surprised himself as he quickly caught up with her. Sakura's eyes flickered.

"Nah."

They entered the forest in quiet companionship, each with their own thoughts.

"Sakura…" Sasuke began.

"Hrm."

"What happened? Why did you change?" Sasuke's questions bumped into each other in their haste.

Sakura's bangs rustled over her face, flickering shades throwing themselves over her face. The long rope of hair moved on her back from the wind. She was quiet for several moments, and her face was dark. Sasuke feared that he had offended her. An angry Sakura had always been a danger sign. Before, it had been nothing to Sasuke, she just lost her childish temper and hit the person hard. Usually Naruto. But now, her anger was something to really be afraid of. She had naturally come across some type of massive strength that didn't really seem much different from the Hokage-sama's. He flinched, but kept walking with her.

After a moment, Sakura's hand smoothed her bangs and had tucked them behind her ears. Her face lifted, and her eyes were dark. Sasuke couldn't read them. But soon, they flared into life, such a bright shade of light green it was almost white. She smiled at him, a kind one.

"Why, Sasuke, to become a better me." Sakura said, ignoring the first part of the question. "I just wanted to become better, so I did. What's your reason? Itachi?" Her last two questions were spoken calmly, and she was not surprised at Sasuke's pale face. His eyes narrowed and he spoke angrily.

"Exactly what is it that's your business which concerns that beast. Keep out of my personal business. You should know nothing of that."

Sakura's voice was both hard but gentle. "Don't be stupid, Sasuke. The entire village knows of it. The kids who are younger than we are know you both as the genius young ninja and also as the dark, sad boy whose family was murdered by a brother they all loved. The village adults and elders know about it. Don't think of it as a secret. You might think of it like that because no one mentions it around you, and you don't want to think of it bu-"

"Stop, Sakura. Please." Sasuke interrupted, and now he wasn't angry. No one had ever spoken to him like that. He had always kept to himself, and now someone telling the truth he had tried to bury in himself, was just too much. He spoke softly, and Sakura obeyed. His feet slowed and he stood there, looking at the ground.

Sakura's eyes darkened in surprise. She hadn't meant to make him sad, lonely or whatever it was. She had pushed too hard, too far, too fast. Sasuke slowly slid to his knees, and kneeled there, trembling, on the forest path. He was whispering something, that Sakura couldn't hear. Sakura quickly walked back to him, and kneeled down in front of him.

"Sasuke…" she said, worry in her voice. "I'm sorry. Really, I am. Are you okay?"

Then she watched, shocked, as a single tear fell from Sasuke's tightly shut eyes. Sighing, she closed her eyes, shutting back a rush of tears, and forced them back. Gently, she leaned forward and gave Sasuke a hug. She hugged him, and let him sit there, holding her arms around him, trembling. No more tears fell.

After a few seconds, Sasuke stirred and Sakura let him go. He rose to his feet, and smiled at her. It was a real one. Then his eyes lowered again.

"Thank you, Sakura." He said. Then he thought again, and in a lower tone, asked her, "Do you ever feel lonely?"

"Me?" Sakura laughed. "No, course not. I've got my parents, Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, and you. All my friends. Tsunade-sama. No. I'm plenty happy." Sasuke gave a small smile, and they kept on walking. After that one incident, they talked casually about training, techniques, and other things that avoided personal life. Sasuke genuinely enjoyed it. Later, they had a spar match, using no weapons as they were supposed to. They gave up in a tie when the sun was low in the sky. They walked back to the village, talking again, with exhausted smiles. As they neared the village, both lapsed into silence again. Sakura waved goodbye to Sasuke, who nodded, and both went opposite ways to their houses.

At home, Sakura reflected about that day. She had seen Sasuke cry. The teenage Sasuke, who never cried in front of every one. It surprised her, but she felt trusted by him, for him to show his weakness. Something tugged at her heart and mind and she jumped in surprise and alarm. It was her old crush on him. She snarled at herself and shoved it back into a corner of her mind. She didn't remember that night she had changed her goals overnight. She only remembered crying from the cruel things Sasuke had said. Then the next thing she recalled was waking up and feeling somehow, different. Once she saw Sasuke at the chicken clearing, she knew one thing, she didn't have a crush on him anymore. She remembered nothing of her mind's imaginations of her and Sasuke's possible future. To her, it seemed that something was missing from her mental gallery. Her mental picture frames had always been filled with fond memories of childhood, days with her parents, and the academy for the little ninjas-in-training… hadn't they? She remembered her huge crush on Sasuke, and she remembered that she had had insane impossible pictures of them together in her mind. But she couldn't remember any of them. They had gone with her old crush and weaknesses. She was strong now, and Sasuke was just a friend. But today, that time when she had held him and comforted him, it just touched her. I can't let anything pull me aside. My goal as a ninja is to protect Konoha and fulfill my duties. Sasuke is a friend… the old times are gone.

Sasuke too, was thinking about the day. He had cried, showed his true self to her. What did she think of that? Sakura had always been considerate, hopefully she still respected him. Tchah, what do I care? He said to himself, trying to mock himself. But it didn't have the same spirit as before. He didn't agree with the statement. Sasuke touched his cheeks, where Sakura's arms had touched his face as they crossed his body and held him to her. He went to bed, still trying to figure the entire thing out.

The next morning, he woke up to start preparations for practice that day, and a "mission" to go pick some old lady's peaches off her trees. As he got dressed, he noticed the picture with Kakashi and the three of them. It had the old Sakura in it. It hit him like a blast of cold wind. He knew what the feeling he had for Sakura was. He knew what it was from his childhood that Sakura reminded him of. It was love, well, a one-sided one. He had loved his family, his parents, and his older brother Itachi who he had always looked up to. As they died, so did that emotion. Itachi died too, in his heart, and he denied to himself that he was related to the monster. His mind felt unused to that emotion, having long been rid of it. He finished dressing, and went downstairs to eat breakfast. Sasuke wondered if the new Sakura had a crush on him still. No, it was gone. She had changed for the better. He had admitted it himself! She had changed so all three of them could train better. She was all ambition now, and held Sasuke as a close friend, but no more. It felt so weird, now that he realized it, to be thinking of Sakura all the time now. He loved her. He loved the old and the new Sakura. They were the same, but the old one was covered by her liking for him, which weighed her down in his mind and in her skills. The new Sakura was like her spirit within (the inner Sakura), that came out of its shell. It showed her true personality. Eager, kind, thoughtful, but hard-working. He loved both parts of her. If only he could find a way to tell her. No, he couldn't. He would wait for it to fade, although he didn't want it to and he didn't think it would. What would he do?

At the bridge, Sakura and Naruto were already waiting. Kyuubi had fixed up Naruto's illness rather quickly. Sasuke's stomach twisted as he saw Sakura. Doh, there is really something wrong with me. He snapped at himself. Sakura's eyes were bright and she waved good morning to him.

"Oy… Sasuke," he approached the bridge to have Naruto asking him something right in his face. "Oy… are you okay? Your face is all red…"