Sakura did not see her sensei for a long time. She had her very first proper mission in the Land of Mist and when she returned she wanted nothing more than to tell him all about it, but the crow never came.

There were plenty of chirping birds outside, mocking her with their beautiful songs, but there was no familiar throaty caw of her crow.

She was beginning to grow worried.

The chuunin exams were coming up and Sakura was terrified. Kakashi hadn't said anything about extra training, had just smiled and said they were all ready.

Now it was the morning of the first exam and there wasn't a single crow in the sky.

Slightly desperate, Sakura pulled the curtains apart and peered through the window. No crows. Just early morning sunlight and a very blue sky.

She sighed, her forehead touching the glass lightly as she looked down.

How on earth could she do this alone?

Naruto and Sasuke were ridiculously confident about the exam. Sakura had very little doubt that she would fail. How could she not? She was the weak link in the team without using the abilities her sensei had taught her.

"Now listen carefully, Sakura," Her sensei had said one day, "I don't want you to ever use these abilities unless you are near death. Do you hear me? Ever."

Ever.

It was so frustrating! Sakura clenched her fists. I'm stronger than this! I can do more!

Sakura jumped when the glass she was leaning against was banged on loudly.

She opened her eyes.

The crow peered into the room, cocking its head at her.

She opened the window gleefully. At last!

"Sakura. Your sensei –"

"Requires me, I know. Tell him I'm on my way, please." Sakura said eagerly, already jumping out of the window.

The crow cawed in agreement and flew off towards the Nara Forest.

Suddenly the sky seemed bluer and the chirping birds were just the chorus to her happiness. She was going to see her sensei again!

"Hey, crow-san, do you have a name?" Sakura asked the bird, who was flying right above her head. It had occurred to her that in all of the six years she had known this bird, she had never thought to ask its name.

"Don't draw attention to me." The crow said gruffly.

"But there's no one here!" Sakura protested. It was true. It was far too early for the majority of the villagers to wake up, let alone be on the streets.

The crow chuckled raucously, "I'm Raban, Sakura-san."

"Well, hello, Raban-san." Sakura smiled, running alongside the bird now.

The bird chuckled again at her attempt to run faster than he could fly. He picked up speed and soared away, just a black smudge against an otherwise flawlessly blue sky.

"Unfair." Sakura muttered with a competitive grin.

She was just about to give chase when a cough disturbed her.

Sasuke was walking out of an alleyway, a bag of weapons slung lazily over one shoulder.

"Oh, hi Sasuke…" Sakura said uneasily. Ever since Sasuke had woken up to the sight of Sakura sobbing over him, he had acted very strangely around her, stiff and detached, not like a friend at all.

Sasuke ignored her greeting and walked past her.

Just as she began to pout at being ignored, he spoke up, "You were talking to that bird." He said in a low voice, still walking away.

Sakura froze.

"I was telling it to be quiet; it was cawing so loud it woke me up." Sakura said hastily.

Sasuke stopped and turned to look at her, "You got out of bed at this time in the morning to shout at a bird for waking you up?" He asked incredulously.

"Er… yes?" Sakura laughed nervously. Way to break sensei's cover, Sakura, she thought miserably.

For the tiniest moment, amusement flitted across Sasuke's face, "Well, carry on then." He smirked.

At the sight of that smirk, Sakura felt herself blush. Whenever she blushed or showed signs of attraction to Sasuke before, he would roll his eyes and glare at her, but now his smirk just grew wider.

It was as though their friendship had slid back into place, but slightly altered.

"Well, I'll just… go find that bird then…" Sakura said awkwardly, pointing to the Nara Forest.

Sasuke gave small huff of laughter and walked off, heading for the training grounds.

Sakura watched him go, feeling a little ache in her chest as he got further and further away from her.

xxxxxxxx

Itachi idly threw a kunai at the tree opposite him, watching as it was buried deep within the bark of the tree. How easy it was to kill another person, just as easy as lazily throwing a kunai at a tree for fun. When Sakura grew up, she would kill someone. If she was very unlucky, she would kill someone as a genin. The first kill is the hardest. Itachi's first kill had been a man twice his age, and he had not died quickly. That death had stuck with him for the rest of his life.

How easy would it be, to take Sakura away from this village, away from the shinobi life?

It would be impossible. Sakura would not want to go with him. Her family, her friends, Sasuke… they were all here.

Not only that, but he no longer lived alone. He lived in the Akatsuki base. He was fairly certain they would allow Sakura to live there with him if he made out that she was merely a tool he was sharpening for the good of the organisation, but he did not want Sakura to be exposed to the monsters that Akatsuki housed, or the harsh way of life it encouraged.

Every time she came to see him he feared she would have grown a little more vicious, a little more bloodthirsty. Ninja are bred to be monsters. But she was always the same, kind, compassionate, hot-tempered and optimistic with critically low self-esteem and a tendency to doubt herself.

She was his link to Sasuke. Without her, he would never know that Sasuke trained every day and night, even when it rained, or that Sasuke seemed to be pushing himself too hard, or that Sasuke had only two friends and he could never bring himself to refer to Naruto and Sakura as anything other than his teammates.

Naruto… the kyuubi's container. Akatsuki's plan was beginning to take off quite spectacularly. One by one the jinchuuriki were falling, and Itachi had no doubt that Naruto would soon be a target.

If Naruto was killed it would be just one more reason for Sasuke to despise Itachi, but for Sakura… it would be different. She cared for her sensei now, but what would she think of him if he was the one who was holding the kunai that killed her best friend?

Itachi sighed almost imperceptibly. His fragile mentor-student relationship with his little brother's friend was doomed and had been from the start. Sakura would find out one day, and Itachi could only hope she had not grown strong enough by that time to deny Sasuke his revenge and kill Itachi herself.

Raban landed on Itachi's shoulder and whispered that he had seen Sakura laughing with Sasuke. Itachi smiled slightly.

Sakura burst through the bushes, head turning automatically to where Itachi was, a smile growing on her face when she looked at her beloved sensei.

"Sensei!" She shouted joyfully, "I did it! My first mission!"

Itachi nodded and held a finger to his lips. The Nara Forest was filled mostly with grazing deer but Itachi had stumbled across a young boy more often than not, occasionally watching the clouds drift by, and did not want to attract any unwanted attention. The shadow jutsu the Nara's possessed could be annoying at times.

Sakura ran up the tree swiftly, landing on the branch Itachi sat on with ease.

"Today's the Chuunin Exam, sensei!" Sakura said, "I'm nervous. Kakashi-sensei hasn't really trained me at all."

Itachi shifted on the branch, looking at the girl closely.

Her hair was still that same odd shade of light pink, like the inside of a rose. Her eyes were the same – innocent, wide and light green. Her arms were showing signs of growing muscle tone. She appeared to have grown taller.

Could he still refer to his student as a child? After all, she was not much younger than he was.

"Do you feel ready?" Itachi asked.

Sakura shook her head, "No, not really. It's only our first year as a team… plenty of others have spent a year or two getting used to each other and working on their teamwork before starting the exam. I'm concerned that I will fall behind, sensei, if I can't use the techniques you taught me."

Itachi was silent for a while after that, musing on Sakura's concerns.

"You can't use the genjutsu I taught you, but you may use Yuhi's techniques. She would vouch for you if it was questioned how you knew them. Obviously, your stamina and strength should not be too suspicious, so don't hold back there. Sakura… I would advise you to rely more on your intelligence in this exam. Leave the fighting to Naruto and… Sasuke."

"When will I be able to use my techniques?" Sakura exploded in frustration.

"When you absolutely have to." Itachi's eyes flashed angrily.

"I used two genjutsu you taught me in front of Kakashi-sensei." Sakura burst out suddenly, "I'm sorry, but Sasuke was in trouble and I –"

"I don't mind," Itachi cut in, "If Sasuke or anyone else you care for is in trouble, feel free to use what I teach you to protect them. But Kakashi could be a problem."

"He used the sharingan when I used the techniques. I don't understand what it does, sensei. Do you know anything about it?"

Itachi almost laughed. "Yes, a fair bit. The Sharingan copies jutsu and uses it against the former user. It is a useful kekkei genkai, but it is limited to two people now… and they are both on your team."

In reality, there were a few more Sharingan users Sakura didn't need to know about… one was sitting in the same tree as her, and had been the one to make the Sharingan so… limited.

"Sensei?" Sakura said timidly, "Do you know what happened to Sasuke's family?"

"No." Itachi said abruptly, "Do not ask me that."

Sakura nodded and backed away slightly, shuffling back on the branch.

Itachi's expression was murderous.

"Is it a secret?" Sakura asked, wide eyes looking curious.

"Yes." Itachi said simply. One that you must never find out.

Sakura looked down, pulling at the leaves on the branches of the tree awkwardly. She appeared to be steeling herself for something.

"Sensei… why are you training me? And don't just say because you'll save my life someday, tell me the real reason! Are you just using me?" Sakura snapped.

She fell to the floor awkwardly, managing to turn it into a roll to save herself a few bruises.

Itachi looked down at her from the great height of the tree, his black eyes burning angrily at her.

He leapt down and advanced towards her.

Sakura fought the urge to draw a kunai and backed up until her back hit another tree.

"Stop. Questioning. Me." Itachi said slowly, his voice low and dangerous.

"I will not!" Sakura shouted, not caring if anyone overheard, "I don't even know your name! Why should I trust you?"

Itachi grabbed her wrist, lightning-fast. Sakura shrieked and tried to pull away. His grip was solid, unbreakable. The bones of her wrist ached as he squeezed tighter.

He grabbed a kunai from her pouch. She flinched, expecting him to inflict some sort of physical punishment. But that had never been her sensei's style.

Instead, he forced her to grip the kunai, and then guided her hand up to his neck, so that the point of the kunai rested against his skin.

"What are you –" Sakura began to question him, surprised.

"Be quiet." He admonished her.

He pressed the kunai against his neck, using her hand. A tiny bead of blood welled up and ran down the weapon.

"You could kill me right now, Sakura." Itachi said darkly, "And I would let you. Do you need to know more than that? Is my name more important than my life?"

Sakura said nothing, just narrowed her eyes. She pressed the kunai further into his neck. He didn't even blink.

There was no sound around them, no wind, no birdsong, no rustling leaves…. just her own laboured breathing from fear.

"I have one question," Sakura said, ignoring the blood that had reached her hand, "Am I betraying my village by receiving training from you?"

Ah, smart girl. Itachi smiled.

"No," He said firmly, lying through his teeth. Sakura's green eyes examined his face intently and, apparently, he passed her inspection, as she pulled the kunai back and smiled.

Itachi wiped some of the blood off of the kunai and held up a single, blood-stained finger, "I swear on my own blood, that I do not want to harm you or anyone else."

However, though he did not want to harm anyone, he had to. That was his task, his burden that he had taken up willingly. If Sakura was less trusting she would have picked up on his careful wording.

She was too trusting, that was her downfall. Sasuke would not make the same mistake.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." Sakura said sadly.

I'm sorry I will hurt you, Itachi thought to himself.

"It's fine." Itachi shrugged. It was a tiny cut. As a ninja you got used to little cuts and scrapes to the point when you rarely even felt them.

"Do you trust me now?" He asked flatly. Once again he thought to himself, what a monster I am…

"Yes, sensei!" Sakura said obediently.

Itachi sighed inwardly, "Good." He said aloud.

xxxxxxxx

The Forest of Death was like nothing Sakura had ever seen before. Gigantic insects crawled around the trees and ninja hid in every bush. It was frightening and unsettling, but Sakura appreciated that it was a new learning experience for her.

Sasuke had devised a lengthy password for them to use if they were ever separated. Sakura memorised it instantly. Naruto had screwed up his face in confusion.

At that moment, a harsh wind blew suddenly, throwing them all away from each other. Sakura dug a kunai into the earth and hung on grimly. She could see Sasuke nearby doing the same thing.

When the wind stopped, she got up and walked towards Sasuke, eyes darting suspiciously around the forest.

He held up a hand as she approached, "Stop! What's the password?"

Sakura recited it perfectly and he relaxed.

Naruto stumbled out of a bush and recited the password perfectly when Sasuke demanded it.

Sasuke smirked and threw a kunai at Naruto.

Sakura instinctively threw one of her own to block it, giving Sasuke an incredulous glare, "Are you crazy?" She demanded, standing in front of the rather confused-looking Naruto, "Why would you do that?"

Hands settled on Sakura's shoulders.

She looked around, unable to turn completely due to the strong grip keeping her rooted to the spot.

An older grass nin was holding her shoulders, grinning disconcertingly at her.

"How sweeeet…" He leered at her, a long, slimy tongue flickering out to swipe at his lips, just missing Sakura's face, "To be so protective over one's teammate…"

"Sakura!" Sasuke shouted, pulling out another kunai.

"Get off of me." Sakura told the man clearly, swivelling under his grip to face him.

"You want the earth scroll, hm? I have the heaven scroll… so…" He let go of one of Sakura's shoulders and swallowed his scroll.

Sakura couldn't stop the look of revulsion on her face after witnessing such an unnatural act. The grass nin merely laughed at her expression.

A kunai soared through the air, nearly clipping the grass nin's face.

Sakura ripped herself out of his grip and backed up, coming to a stop at Sasuke's side.

He'd thrown the kunai at the grass nin in desperation.

"Now let's begin… the battle for each other's scroll…" The grass nin smiled, "With our lives on the line…."

His eye radiated killer intent, it swamped Sakura's senses until she was wracked with undeniable fear, the vision of her own death repeated over and over again until…

She was suddenly sitting in a tree, and Sasuke was bleeding.

The leaves of the tree overhead were rustling noisily and the coppery smell of fresh blood filled the air.

Sasuke ripped a kunai out of his thigh with the tiniest of grimaces.

"Where's that grass nin - ?" Sakura started to say, before Sasuke clamped his hand around her mouth.

He was looking on edge. Sakura didn't blame him. The image of her own death was still fresh in her mind.

A giant snake coiled around another tree suddenly lunged towards them.

Sakura shoved his hand away and shrieked, "Sasuke, snake!"

They both leapt off of the branch but the snake followed Sasuke, crashing through a tree in its effort to reach him.

Sasuke killed it with a panicked spray of shuriken.

The grass nin was suddenly approaching, "The best prey shouldn't relax for a minute," He smirked, "Prey should always… try their best… to run away…"

He suddenly lengthened like a snake and coiled around the branch, shooting towards both Sakura and Sasuke, eyes on Sasuke.

Sakura stepped into his path, already forming seals.

"Sorry, sensei." She muttered.

The grass nin stopped, standing right in front of them. Sakura had paralysed him with the sannin-level genjutsu that she had been practising lately. Sasuke stared at her.

"You like freaking people out, huh?" Sakura said to the wide-eyed grass nin, "Well, I hope you enjoy this then."

The Dusk Crow genjutsu was designed to leave the victim at the user's mercy – illusory crows tore at and attacked the victim whilst the user took the opportunity to go for the kill. The area around them became swamped in purple and black shadows; there was the sound of high-pitched shrieking and the cawing of crows.

"Did you know that collectively, a group of crows is called a murder?" Sakura smiled, reaching for a kunai.

The grass nin was fully under her genjutsu now, trapped in place by the paralysis as the crows tore at his flesh.

Sasuke watched, wide-eyed, "Sakura… how did you…?"

Sakura went to stab the grass nin as he stood, glassy-eyed on the branch.

Her wrist was caught and promptly snapped. She screamed, agonised. Sasuke bellowed in rage.

"Paralysis, hmmmm?" The grass nin licked his lips again, "Interesting… that is sannin-level, my dear, and far too advanced for a cute genin like yourself. And that crow genjutsu… well, I knew one man who could do that technique… I'm surprised at the sort of company he keeps… little pink-haired Konoha nins…. yes, interesting indeed…"

"I read about it in a book!" Sakura lied, nearly crying from the pain in her wrist.

The grass nin twisted her wrist painfully, "Liar…" He rasped.

A few shuriken whistled through the air, heading for the grass nin's face. He dodged them lazily and looked up to see who had thrown them.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, "I forgot the password!"

Sakura's fear lifted the moment she saw him. The second test had taken a turn for the truly terrifying but now that Naruto, number one prankster ninja, was here, she felt relieved that everything would be alright. Naruto had that effect on people.

"Great job, Naruto!" Sakura shouted back to him. He grinned.

Sakura tore her wrist away from the grass nin's slackening grip.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled, still sounding panicked, "I know you think you're being cool and here to save us but forget it! Run away!"

"Hehe… looks like you defeated that giant snake… Naruto-kun," The grass nin smiled.

Naruto and Sasuke fought. Sasuke wanted to give up the scroll and Naruto, disbelieving, declared that there was no way this was the brave Sasuke he knew.

He has a point… Sakura made a face. Sasuke was acting oddly cowardly.

Naruto rushed towards the grass nin, roaring his own battle cry.

Sakura watched the man's hands flash into the summoning seals and screamed, "No, Naruto!"

Another gigantic snake burst forth, breaking the branch and heading for Naruto.

Sakura watched in terror as Naruto fell towards the great snake's open mouth.

"Eat shit!" Naruto yelled, punching the snake down with impossible strength.

After Naruto had displayed incredible strength and speed, taking on both the grass nin and the snake, he stopped the snake from killing Sasuke with just kunai.

Sakura stared at him, utterly shocked. How could this be the Naruto she knew?

Sasuke looked just as shocked as she did, especially when Naruto growled, "Are you hurt? Scaredy cat!"

But then the grass nin was pulling Naruto up with his elongated tongue, lifting his shirt and… he did something that made Naruto scream in agony.

He tossed him aside.

Sakura threw a kunai to stop him from falling to his death.

Sasuke fought with the grass nin brilliantly, analysing his weaknesses and strengths, tying him up with chakra string and blowing a great fireball at him.

"He he… I see greater potential in your eyes than even in Itachi's…" The grass nin chuckled. Sasuke stiffened.

"Who the hell are you?" He demanded, looking furious.

"My name is Orochimaru," He said, still smirking, "Come and find me if you survive this exam…"

And then his neck lengthened and he shot towards Sasuke.

He bit down, hard, on Sasuke's neck.

"Sasuke-kun will seek me… to gain power," He said smugly. His eyes fell on Sakura.

She shuddered.

Sasuke fell to his knees.

Orochimaru's head came close to Sakura's face. She froze in fear as he opened his mouth.

"Your chakra is a little like his… burning… I wonder… two heaven curse seals…? Only one in ten survive. It would be interesting to see which of you was stronger…" He mused to himself.

Sakura's knees were shaking.

"But no… it would be a waste if you died… not to mention he would be angry… Little girl, come see me when you are stronger…" Orochimaru grinned and descended into the branch. There were a few cracking sounds and he was gone.

Sakura was left alone in the Forest of Death.

Bwahahaha, this chapter was fun to write! Orochimaru always freaked me out, seriously.

Sakura finally displayed some awesome genjutsu Diligent fans of Naruto will notice the crow technique she tried to use against Orochimaru (would have worked against someone weaker, by the way…) is the genjutsu Itachi used against Naruto.

Orochimaru recognises Itachi's techniques because they were both once in Akatsuki together.

Quick poll for fun: Who is the best Naruto villain?

A) Orochimaru

B) Pein (or Pain, or Nagato… whoever the hell he is.)

C) Madara

D) Other! Let me know!